Chapter 21

  Leo’s Pov

  Leo stretched, arms over his head, feeling every muscle pull tight before releasing with a satisfying pop. The morning sunlight poured through the tall windows of the dormitory common area, catching on the polished floors and making everything seem just a little too bright for how early it was.

  He sat down at the small table by the window with a steaming mug of bitter tea. It was exam day. He felt... ready. At least, more ready than he had a few weeks ago.

  He grinned to himself. His body enhancement training had been going well — better than well, honestly. The bruises from those brutal sparring sessions were almost like badges of honor now. His mana control, once clumsy and impatient, had become something sharper, more focused. He could feel it humming under his skin, coiled and responsive, almost eager to be used.

  Illusion magic was still a challenge, though. Subtlety had never been his strength. But he was improving. He’d learned to weave minor illusions — flickers of light, shifting shadows, even a brief double image of himself during sparring practice. Enough to distract and create openings. Instructor Marius had even given him an approving nod last class, which was practically the same as a standing ovation.

  Still... his thoughts kept drifting to Ren.

  He’d noticed it over the past week. His friend had been staying up far later than usual. Not just studying — Leo could tell the difference. There was a weight in Ren’s expression now, a furrow in his brow that hadn’t been there before. He wasn’t just worried about exams.

  Leo had wanted to ask. A few times, he almost had. But each time, Ren would smile that same calm smile, as if everything was fine. Maybe it was. Maybe he was just pushing himself too hard, like he always did.

  Still, Leo made a mental note: after the exam, they were going to sit down. No excuses.

  He drained the last of his tea, exhaled, and stood. Time to head to the examination hall.

  —

  Ren’s hands were steady as he tightened the clasp on his uniform coat, but inside, his nerves twisted. The long night weighed on him — not just the studying, but the secrets he’d uncovered, the strange note, and the heavy presence of Obsidian Hall looming in the back of his mind.

  He shook his head. Focus.

  The grand examination hall was already filling with students when he arrived. Rows upon rows of desks stretched beneath the vaulted ceiling, the air thick with tension. Professors walked along the aisles, eyes sharp and watchful.

  Ren sat down, taking a deep breath. The parchment and ink on the desk in front of him felt heavier than they should.

  He glanced around — Davian gave him a small nod from two rows down, his usual calm confidence unshaken. Leo arrived moments later, offering a quick grin and a thumbs-up.

  Ren smiled back, but his mind was still clouded.

  The bell chimed, deep and resonant, and the room fell silent.

  Begin.

  The exam was grueling, as expected. Questions on complex mana theory, advanced runic structures, historical applications of magic, tier classifications — each problem forced him to pull on everything he’d studied, every detail he’d memorized. But beneath the pressure, a strange clarity emerged. His mind flowed through the material like water finding the easiest path.

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  Still, he caught himself hesitating more than once. Not because he didn’t know the answer, but because his thoughts kept circling back to those strange irregularities in the academy’s sigils. The hidden structures. The whispered conspiracies. The invitation.

  He forced himself to focus. He finished with time to spare, triple-checking his work before finally setting his quill down and leaning back, exhaling slowly.

  The bell rang again.

  It was over.

  He gathered his papers and stood, meeting up with Leo and Davian outside the hall.

  Leo clapped him on the back. “You look like you just survived a war.”

  Ren managed a weak smile. “Close enough.”

  Davian grinned. “If we fail, I’m blaming Leo.”

  Leo held up his hands. “Unfair! I did all the prep! You guys were the ones drowning in books.”

  They laughed, the tension finally easing from their shoulders. The stress of the exam gave way to the simple relief of being done.

  “C’mon,” Leo said, slinging an arm around Ren’s shoulders. “We’re getting food. My treat. And after that, we’re finding somewhere to relax. You —” he gave Ren a pointed look — “are going to stop worrying for one night.”

  Ren hesitated. He thought about the letter, the strange book, and the weight of questions left unanswered.

  But then he looked at his friends.

  He nodded. “Alright. Lead the way.”

  —

  They ended up in a cozy tavern just off campus, a place recommended by one of Davian’s older friends. The walls were lined with dark wood and soft lantern light, and the air smelled of warm bread and roasting meat.

  They sat at a corner booth, plates piled high with food in front of them.

  For a while, it was easy to forget.

  Leo animatedly recounted one of his sparring sessions with a cocky noble who’d underestimated him — complete with wild gestures and sound effects that had both Ren and Davian doubled over with laughter.

  Davian, for his part, shared stories of his early struggles with force magic and his attempts to ‘borrow’ spells from the senior students.

  Ren found himself laughing along, genuinely, the tightness in his chest easing.

  They ate until they were stuffed, then wandered through the lantern-lit streets around the academy grounds, just talking about anything but exams — old memories, funny classmates, plans for the tournament after midterms.

  For a few precious hours, Ren let himself just... be.

  As they finally stepped out of the tavern, the night air was cool and refreshing. Lanterns swayed gently in the breeze, and somewhere in the distance, the soft chime of bells from the academy’s clock tower echoed.

  Davian stretched with a satisfied groan. “I needed that. Midterms can throw themselves into the river for all I care.”

  Leo clapped him on the back, grinning. “Let’s just hope they don’t throw us in first.”

  Ren smiled, but his mind felt quieter now — clearer. The weight in his chest had eased, not because the questions had vanished, but because he realized something simple and important:

  He didn’t have to solve everything tonight.

  The hidden formation, Obsidian Hall, strange warnings from cloaked men in the night — these things were far bigger than him. Worrying endlessly wouldn’t give him answers any faster.

  He exhaled slowly, watching the mist of his breath drift into the night sky.

  He would try his best. He’d pursue the truth, carefully, steadily, without letting it consume him. He would study, he would train, he would laugh with his friends and live these days fully — because there was no telling when peace might slip away.

  He couldn’t control the secrets hidden behind closed doors or the agendas of those more powerful than him. But he could control how he faced each day.

  He could become strong enough — sharp enough — that when the moment came, he’d be ready.

  “Hey,” Leo called from ahead, noticing Ren’s lingering silence. “You good?”

  Ren nodded. “Yeah,” he said softly. And for the first time in days, he meant it.

  They split ways at the dorm gates, bidding each other good night.

  Back in his room, Ren lit a small mana lantern on his desk and pulled out the notes he’d gathered. Complex rune diagrams filled his pages, layered and dense, but now they felt less overwhelming.

  He sat down, rolled up his sleeves, and began tracing the formations again, this time with purpose. Not from panic, not from fear — but determination.

  He would uncover the truth.

  And until then, he would live.

  —