By the time they reached their second lap, both of them had already slowed down. Their breathing had grown heavier, and each step felt more deliberate than before. Still, the Dragon King did not leave them to struggle on their own. He brought them food and water at intervals, making sure they could keep going without completely collapsing. By the end of the third lap, Rhys and Maeve could barely feel their legs anymore. Every movement felt distant, as if their bodies were no longer responding the way they should. Part of them wanted nothing more than to lie down and sleep. The exhaustion was overwhelming. But at the same time, they knew that if they gave in too early, they might not even be able to stand the next day. It was only after the Dragon King insisted that they finally allowed themselves to rest. The moment they lay down, sleep came almost instantly. While they were unconscious, the Dragon King quietly applied herbal ointments and medicines to their bodies, helping them r

The Dragon King clenched his teeth before speaking, his voice tight with restraint. “No. There’s no need for you to go. I…” He trailed off, clearly trying to steady himself. It looked like he wanted to stop her, to tell her not to get involved any further, but that hesitation only strengthened Mirova’s resolve. To her, it felt obvious what was going on. Her father must have realized he had pushed her too hard all this time. Now that she had chosen to enter the academy on her own, he was holding back out of guilt. But that didn’t change what had happened. Because of her mistake, Rhys had managed to gain the Dragon King’s core technique. That alone was enough reason for her to act. She lifted her head and said firmly, “No, Father. This is my responsibility. You’ve done so much for me. It’s my turn now.” The Dragon King still looked reluctant, but after a moment, he let out a long breath. Then he reached into his belongings and brought out a container filled with Nidhogg’s blood, h

Rhys lowered his gaze, the evaluation sheet still in his hand. Wyndia should have realized by now that his actual Mana didn’t match that description. Even if she suspected that Gaelion had taken a large portion of it during the summoning, it still didn’t add up. He had summoned Anubis not long after, which made the gap even harder to explain. Looking at it from every angle, something must have happened to him at some point. The problem was, he had no memory of it. “Did anything happen to you before you came to the academy?” Wyndia asked, studying his expression. “Nothing happened.” Rhys shook his head, forcing himself to stay calm. “Is that so?” She crossed her arms, clearly unconvinced. “I can’t find an explanation either. There’s no record of a case like yours. Or maybe I just haven’t read enough.” Rhys let out a small breath. “You’re not planning to experiment on my blood, are you?” “I have my limits,” Wyndia replied immediately. “Unless you ask me to do it, I won’t cross t

Maeve felt a quiet sense of relief. Rhys had remembered what she said back then, and more importantly, he took it seriously. “For now, I already have a plan,” she said. “You don’t need to get involved. But… it also means your parents might be put at risk.” Rhys gave a small nod. “Alright. I’ll leave it to you. As for my parents, don’t worry about them. I’m planning to visit them soon anyway.” He paused for a moment before continuing, “We probably won’t be able to take on missions for a while. I need to go to the Ancient Library of the Fairy Queen, and according to my teacher, I have to go alone.” Maeve listened quietly. “I don’t know how long it’ll take,” he added. “But once I’m back, we can go on a mission together. You can pick it. For now, I’ll visit my parents first before heading there.” “I see…” Maeve’s expression softened, though there was a hint of disappointment she couldn’t quite hide. Rhys noticed immediately, and a teasing smile crept onto his face. “What’s wrong? Do

Rhys arrived at a desert city that stood right at the edge of the Maldhi Desert. The moment he stepped off his ride, the heat hit him full force. It felt heavier than anything he had experienced before, like the air itself was pressing down on his skin. It finally made sense why the people here looked the way they did. Most of them had sun-darkened skin, and their clothing reflected the climate. Some wore very little to deal with the heat, while others covered themselves completely to protect against the sun and sand. Rhys lifted his head and studied the building in front of him. It was small and square, almost like a sand structure molded into shape. Compared to Wyndia’s mansion, it looked far too simple. “Is this the place?” he muttered. He found it hard to believe that someone Wyndia considered a friend would live somewhere like this. The building had only one door and a single window. It barely looked like a proper home. Before he could think further, the door creaked open fr