As the classroom began to empty, Noah packed up his belongings, eager to leave.
The lesson had been grueling, and his thoughts were scattered, still dwelling on the aftermath of the incident and the weight of everything that had transpired.
Just as he slung his bag over his shoulder and made his way toward the door, a voice called out from behind him.
"Noah," Professor Jacob said, his tone calm but deliberate.
"A moment, if you will."
Noah stopped in his tracks, turning to face the professor, his brow furrowed slightly in confusion.
He hadn't expected to be held back.
Professor Jacob was still at his desk, organizing some papers, but his eyes lifted to meet Noah's.
"Are you feeling alright?" Jacob asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
Noah hesitated for a second, then nodded.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just... some distant pain in my chest, but nothing I can't handle. I'll need to take in a lot of mana to fully heal, but I'm managing for now."
Jacob nodded thoughtfully.
"Good to hear. You've been through a lot. It would make sense if you needed time to recover."
There was a brief silence before Jacob leaned back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest as if contemplating something.
"That incident with the demonic summoning... quite the event.
You wouldn't happen to know exactly how it all worked, would you?
Something as complex as that doesn't just happen on its own."
Noah stiffened slightly.
The last thing he wanted was to be dragged into more conversations about the summoning.
It was a sore subject, and the memories of what had happened still weighed heavily on him.
"I... I'm not sure how it all worked," Noah replied, his voice a little guarded.
"I only know what I saw."
'Why is he suddenly asking that?'
Noah thought.
Jacob narrowed his eyes slightly but remained calm.
"You were at the center of it all.
If anyone would have insights into what was going on, it would be you.
How did the barrier fail so suddenly? There are a lot of unanswered questions."
Noah looked away, not in the mood for an interrogation, even if it was subtle.
"I really don't know. I was just trying to survive, like everyone else."
Seeing that Noah wasn't up for further chit-chat, Jacob nodded and leaned back in his chair.
"Well, I won't keep you any longer. Take care of yourself, Noah. Good evening."
"Good evening, Professor," Noah replied, turning to leave, grateful for the exit.
As the door closed behind Noah, the room fell into a quiet stillness.
Jacob remained seated for a moment, then reached into his trench coat pocket and pulled out a small, red crystal.
It glowed faintly for a second in the dim light, casting a soft crimson hue over his face.
His fingers traced the edges of the stone thoughtfully.
His mind drifted back to the day he had found it—hidden at the top of Silvercrest Hall during the reconstruction after the incident.
***
Noah stood outside the Vice Master's office, staring at the door.
His heart pounded in his chest, a knot of anxiety tightening with every second.
Noah blinked, momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected this.
"You will, however, be punished accordingly," the Vice Master added.
"Your recklessness cannot go unchecked. But I will personally handle the concerns brought forward by the faculty and nobles. You have my word."
Noah exhaled, the tension in his shoulders easing just a little.
"Thank you," he muttered, relief washing over him.
Before Noah could turn to leave, the Vice Master spoke again, his voice thoughtful.
"By the way, Noah... what constellation do you follow?"
Noah hesitated for a moment, then replied simply, "The Elemental Constellation. Alone."
The Vice Master didn't respond, only giving a small nod as Noah left the office.
Outside, Maya was waiting for him.
'It's been a while since I checked my status window.
It didn't even cross my mind once, I was so caught up in planning ways for my survival if expelled that I forgot.'
'Those plans won't be executed since I'm staying but it's always great to be steps ahead...'
He quickly opened his status window, and what he saw made his heart skip a beat.
He felt a sharp pain in his chest, gnawing at him like a beast.
---
●|System Status Window|●
○ Name: Noah Ashbourne
○ Race: Human
○ Age: 16
[■ Class: None (Currently under evaluation due to demonic influence)]
[■ Skills]
□ Active Skills: None
□ Passive Skills:
● Constellation Insight.
[■ Attributes]
○ Charm: ★☆☆☆☆
○ Strength: ★★☆☆☆
○ Dexterity: ★★☆☆☆
○ Intelligence: ★★★☆☆
○ Endurance: ★★☆☆☆
○ Luck: ★★★☆☆
[■ Magic Attributes]
○ ice: ★★★☆☆
○ Lightning: ★★☆☆☆
[■ Mana Pool: 5768]
[✟ Constellations]
● Elemental Constellation
● Demonic Constellation (Pending...)
[■ System Shop: Unlocked]
[■ Quests Available: 0]
---