“Tell me more about what happened two years ago, Arthur,” Alice said, her voice softening. “George was always secretive about almost everything. He gave me just enough information to get the gist of the situation, but kept it shallow enough to hide the whole picture.”
She scoffed, a trace of fondness in her eyes. “I could tell from the letters he sent me every month. Always only half the story.”
Arthur looked at her and nodded. “It all started on the first day of autumn…”
He took a slow breath, his mind drifting back. “We were in the middle of a festival. People were dancing around a massive bonfire in the village square, with crates of the autumn harvest lined up at the edge of the celebration. It was a bountiful year, and everyone was thanking the gods for the abundance.”
His eyes suddenly turned grim, the warmth of the memory vanishing. “And then… it happened. A violent tremor shook the ground, followed by these piercing, screeching sounds echoing from the deepest parts of the forest.”
“Before we could even process it, the screeching was right on top of us. Then came the screams.” Arthur’s fists clenched tightly on his lap. “It sounded like people were being torn apart, burned alive, or crushed under the rubble of their own homes. It was absolute chaos.”
He swallowed hard, the weight of the memory pressing down on him. “I fought them alongside the others. I begged them to run, but they were too stubborn. They told me that if they couldn't protect their own village, they couldn't protect anything. I kept yelling that I could handle it on my own, that they needed to escape… but they didn’t listen.”
He looked down, a single tear threatening to escape his left eye.
Noticing his pain, Alice quietly closed the distance between them. She sank into the couch beside him and pulled him into a warm embrace, letting his head rest gently against her shoulder.
Arthur let out a shaky sigh, a small, sad chuckle escaping his lips. “I appreciate the gesture, Aunt Alice. But I’m not a little kid anymore.”
“It wasn’t your fault, Arthur,” Alice replied softly, tightening her grip just a fraction. “I know you’re hurting, but you cannot keep blaming yourself for their deaths.”
Arthur gritted his teeth and slowly sat back up, shaking his head. “No, there’s no time for this. Back when I was in that garden maze with Elaine, demons suddenly appeared out of nowhere. I could feel a sinister presence nearby, even if it was faint.”
“There is a presence,” Eleanor interjected, her playful tone vanishing. “When I saw you leap out of that maze, I immediately investigated the area and cleared out the remaining demons myself.”
She turned her gaze toward Alice. “How’s the academy's grand magic barrier holding up?”
“There was no damage whatsoever,” Alice responded, her brow furrowing. “But whichever Demon Lord managed to slip his minions inside... he is dangerously skilled at stealth.”
Eleanor scoffed. “I guess I’ll have to pitch in my own magic to fortify it. Let's see if that sneaky bastard can find a hole in my wards.”
Clasping her hands together, she bowed her head and closed her eyes. Instantly, her entire body ignited, glowing with a brilliant, pulsing neon blue aura as she channeled her power into the school's defenses.
“She may take a while, so we'll let her be for now,” Alice told Arthur. She leaned in slightly, curiosity gleaming in her eyes. “If it’s okay with you, can you tell me more about your fight with Ba’al and his demon army?”
At the mention of the Hell Commander, Eleanor’s ears suddenly perked up. Her posture remained rigid and her body continued to glow, but she was clearly listening to every single word.
“There really isn’t much to say about it,” Arthur replied, his voice dropping to a quiet murmur. “The burden of the lives on my shoulders suddenly vanished. My vision narrowed down to a single goal: protecting my father from the demons. In that moment, that was the only thing that mattered.”
He stared blankly at his palms. “I just waved my hands to control the golden flames, turning them into massive serpents that tore through any horde that dared to get close to us. All while I was simultaneously deflecting the dark magic Ba’al kept hurling at us.”
He paused, a chill settling over his shoulders. “Honestly, I feel like I wasn't even in control. It felt like my body wasn’t my own. The whole thing felt like a dream, and when the battle finally ended—when all the demons were dead and Ba’al had fled—it felt like I had just woken up from a nightmare. Confused, but relieved.”
“And then I saw my father gasping for air,” Arthur said, his jaw tightening. “It looked like he was fighting for his very life…”
“Total mana drain…” Alice muttered, her voice tight.
Arthur nodded grimly. “He told me he had completely depleted his core. Ever since then, we’ve been living peacefully in our house, but I could tell he can't use magic anymore. Or at least... he won’t.”
“When a person completely drains their mana reserves before their core can replenish it, the body shaves off a massive portion of their lifespan,” Alice explained, a sudden bitterness creeping into her tone. She scoffed, shaking her head. “That’s the body’s final, desperate way of compensating for the trauma. I always knew George was reckless, but I never thought he'd be this reckless.”
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Just as they were about to continue, the heavy doors to the Headmistress’s office swung open.
“I’m here, Headmistress,” a soft, gentle voice announced, cutting their conversation short.
A moment later, a young woman stepped into the room. Long, braided green hair draped over one of her shoulders, and her emerald eyes shimmered under the office lights. She wore a crisp white long-sleeved shirt beneath brown skirted overalls, paired with white knee socks and neat brown heels.
“Ah, you’re here, Flora,” Alice said, turning toward her.
“Flora?” Arthur repeated, blinking in surprise.
“Yes, this is Flora, Arthur,” Alice explained. “She’s another high-ranking mage who works here to maintain the academy grounds.” Alice paused, shooting a pointed glare at Eleanor's rigid form. “Mainly, fixing the utter destruction left behind in our forests.”
Behind her neon blue glow, Eleanor’s ears instantly twitched in guilt.
“She is also responsible for maintaining the lawns, the trees, the garden maze on the school grounds, and the living woodlands surrounding us,” Alice added.
Flora nodded softly. “I am the one who shaped the forest around this school. I truly apologize if you got lost in it,” she said, bowing deeply and apologetically toward Arthur.
Arthur quickly stood up, gently holding her shoulders to guide her back upright. “No, no, please don’t apologize. It’s completely fine, really. It’s part of the school’s defenses, right? You were only doing your job.”
At his words, Flora’s emerald eyes suddenly welled with tears. Before Arthur could react, she threw her arms around him, burying her face into his chest and hugging him tightly.
“That’s... that’s the kindest thing anyone has ever said to me,” she sobbed, her voice muffled against his uniform.
Alice let out a soft sigh, shaking her head fondly. “Flora was an outcast when I first found her. She was constantly ridiculed by her peers for lacking destructive offensive magic. She compensates for it with an absolutely impregnable defense, of course, but she rarely received a single kind or comforting word before coming here.”
Flora finally stepped back from Arthur’s chest, wiping her tear-stained cheeks. She blinked, looking around the room. “Wait... why was I here again…?”
She perked up, her eyes widening. “Oh, right!”
Turning her attention back to Alice, Flora’s timid demeanor shifted into professional focus. “Headmistress, I’ve completed my investigation into the demons that materialized inside the academy’s garden maze.”
“And?” Alice prompted.
“It appears the Demon Lord responsible for the breach was Beelzebub,” Flora claimed. “There were only faint traces of his presence left behind, but I have no doubt it was him.”
“Huh. So, the demons are making their move again. Interesting,” Alice muttered, her eyes narrowing as she calculated the threat.
Right on cue, the brilliant neon blue aura surrounding Eleanor finally dissipated. She snapped her eyes open and smirks, stretching her arms. “There. I guess I’m permanently bound to this academy now, too.”
“Just like Ba’al?” Arthur asked casually.
“Yes, just like—” Flora started, before freezing entirely. She blinked at him, her voice trailing off. “Eh? How do you know that name…?”
“He fought Ba’al two years ago,” Alice responded smoothly, leaning back against the couch. “And he completely crippled that Demon Lord.”
“Hah! I knew you were special,” Eleanor interjected, a sharp, dangerous grin spreading across her face.
“But... it would take at least three high-ranking mages working in perfect unison to defend against a full army and its Demon Lord,” Flora stammered, staring at Arthur in utter disbelief. “How did you do it alone?”
Alice nodded toward the teenager. “Show them the golden phoenix flame, Arthur.”
All three women turned their gazes toward him, the room falling dead silent.
Arthur hesitated for a moment before reluctantly giving in. He held out his right hand and opened his palm. With a soft, crackling hum, a tiny, concentrated sphere of brilliant golden fire came to life, hovering just above his skin. The heat radiating from the small spark was instantly suffocating.
“So... the rumors were true,” Flora muttered, her emerald eyes reflecting the golden light. “A lone, powerful mage who vanished a demon army years ago.”
“The heavenly fire that engulfed and vanquished a nightmare,” Eleanor whispered, her usual teasing act completely gone as she stared at the flame.
As the light danced across the office walls, Alice remained silent, watching Arthur’s face. Could it be that he is the reincarnation of the divine beast in human form? she thought to herself, a cold knot tightening in her stomach. Is this why Alicia died? Because her human body simply couldn’t handle the beast’s raw, volatile power?
In any case, I can’t tell this to Arthur yet, Alice thought, her gaze lingering on the boy. I don’t have enough evidence anyway, and the last thing I want to do is further hurt his feelings.
Clearing her throat, Alice looked toward the green-haired mage. “Have you fortified the academy’s defenses, Flora?”
“Yes, Headmistress,” Flora replied, wiping the last of her tears away. “I made sure to analyze exactly how Beelzebub managed to sneak his minions inside, and I've patched up those flaws. If a demon tries to breach our territory again, they will be forced to appear at the absolute outskirts of the forest surrounding the academy.”
“And I’ve permanently reinforced our magical barrier,” Eleanor added, crossing her arms with a confident smirk. “It will hold significantly longer if the demons decide to launch a sudden attack.”
“Good.” Alice stood up from the couch, the authority returning to her voice. “That will be all for tonight, everyone. You may return to your rooms.”
She then turned her sharp gaze to Arthur. “Where are you currently staying?”
“I’m settled in at Crystal’s Tavern,” Arthur replied. “It's right at the outskirts of the Royal Capital.”
Alice closed her eyes, visualizing the location. “Mhm, I see. Which room?”
“Ummm… Room 15,” he responded, blinking in confusion.
With a sharp flick of her wrist, Alice snapped her fingers. The air in the center of the office rippled violently before tearing open, instantly creating a swirling, glowing portal that revealed the interior of Arthur’s exact tavern room.
“There. Go grab your things,” Alice commanded smoothly. “From tonight onward, you’ll be living here on the academy grounds. We have private quarters reserved for high-ranking staff, and you will be taking one of them.”
Eleanor’s eyes gleamed with mischief as she slinked toward the portal. She smirked, leaning in close to Arthur. “You know, you could always just sleep in my room instead. My bed is more than big enough for the both of us.”
“Shush, Eleanor,” Alice interjected, shooting her a warning look. “You two, back to your quarters. Now.”
“Fine, fine,” Eleanor pouted, throwing her hands up in mock defeat before sauntering out of the office.
Flora gave Arthur one final, timid nod, her cheeks dusting with a faint pink before she quietly and silently slipped out the door behind Eleanor.
Arthur looked toward the swirling rift, gave his aunt a quiet nod, and stepped through the threshold.
To Be Continued…