"The Royal Magic Academy has been sealed off!"
A shout came from somewhere, throwing the students inside the Academy into chaos.
Several students, unwilling to believe it, dragged themselves to the main gate.
The gate could be opened, but a barrier separated them from the outside world.
No matter how they struck or pushed it, the barrier didn't budge an inch.
The sudden appearance of a black barrier above the Academy spread across the capital in record time, causing an extraordinary stir.
Countless newspaper reporters and mages gathered before it.
The black barrier emitted thin wisps of dark mist, staining half the sky in shadow.
Complex magical patterns covered its surface, intricate and interwoven in all directions.
Inside the barrier, filth and darkness seemed to churn, endlessly devouring people's energy.
The blackness consumed everything, leaving only the muffled panic of voices from both inside and outside, heavy with exhaustion and weakness.
"What on earth is this thing?"
"Such intricate construction… what kind of array is this?"
The headlines everywhere were already reporting the same story, all about the black barrier enveloping the Royal Academy.
Some even began spreading rumors that it had something to do with Viktor.
Although the Academy had been completely sealed and no communication could pass through, before the barrier went up, one message had gotten out,
That Viktor had kidnapped and attempted to murder Professor Devon Lesser.
This news quickly reached the du Croy household.
When Erica heard it, she was completely stunned. She had just heard from Henny yesterday that Viktor wasn't even at the Academy, so how could something like this happen today?
Even more troubling, the reports said Viktor had attacked Devon Lesser yesterday inside the Academy.
That was completely different from what Henny had told her.
'What exactly happened?'
'Did Henny hide the truth on purpose? Could she be in on this?'
The more Erica thought about it, the more her mind spun in confusion. She wanted to go see what was really happening for herself.
But she couldn't act recklessly. The first thing she needed to do was confirm whether her father knew about this.
She hoped her father could use his power to help Viktor, calm things down before it spread further.
Because this time, Viktor had truly made a huge mistake.
Who was Devon Lesser? Even in noble circles, few people knew the full story.
The Lesser family held tremendous influence in the South. They controlled nearly all of the Empire's southern businesses.
They were masters at amassing wealth, and nobles like the du Croy family, who wielded real power, understood how vital the Lessers were to the royal family.
They were, in fact, the royal treasury's main financial artery.
Every year, over half of the royal funds went to the Lesser family, who in turn paid back even more in return.
In other words, every southern business the Lessers operated existed with the royal family's full approval.
Because the Lesser family were royals themselves, the Emperor's own sister had married into their house.
The royal family granted them privileges, and the Lessers, in turn, enriched the crown.
A mutual relationship.
Erica didn't know why Viktor would attack Devon Lesser, but she understood politics.
As the Duke's only daughter, she had been raised as his successor.
Whatever Viktor's reasons, the fact remained that he had harmed Devon Lesser.
If Viktor was to be saved, then she had to make sure this incident didn't reach the Emperor before the barrier came down.
"Someone capable of making the Emperor act ahead of time… with both motive and authority…"
"Madam Cassandra!"
Cassandra Lesser, after marrying the Lesser family's head, she had taken their name. Before that, she was the Emperor's sister.
Although the Lesser family was deeply involved in business, Madam Cassandra herself didn't deal in trade. She lived quietly in a city not far from the capital.
If she had received word yesterday, and Erica calculated the travel time, 'She could reach the capital today and meet with His Majesty!'
Realizing this, Erica immediately rushed out to find Duke Levi. But as she hurried, her maid, seeing her pale, anxious face, stepped in front of her.
"Miss, please, don't rush."
"The Duke left early this morning. He told me that if you came looking for him, I should tell you, he's outside the city gates."
"Outside the gates?"
Erica froze, puzzled.
Why would her father go outside the city so early?
Could it be… that he already knew?
Her heart grew uneasy, she felt like she was the only one still left in the dark.
She desperately wanted answers, and suddenly, a name flashed in her mind.
Someone involved in all this, someone who might be deliberately hiding something.
Henny.
'She definitely knows something!'
Thinking that, Erica quickly said to the maid, "Prepare the carriage! Hurry! I need to go to the Academy's back mountain, right now!"
She still remembered the place where she had talked with Henny yesterday.
Erica had told her she'd come again the next day.
If Henny had kept her word, she should be waiting at the back mountain now.
If Viktor really planned to do something and seal off the Academy, he wouldn't have let Henny be trapped inside with him.
'Damn it! What's his motive this time?'
Erica clenched her fists and bit her lip.
She couldn't figure it out, and couldn't even go investigate herself.
She hated this feeling of helplessness.
Just like that time on the volcano.
———
Meanwhile, outside the city gates, Duke Levi stood at the gate, hundreds of knights in silver armor behind him. By his side were dozens of hooded figures holding glowing orbs, mage-like men.
The air outside the gate was thick with danger, it looked like war could break out at any moment.
Soon, a heavily guarded carriage arrived and came to a slow stop.
A knight opened the door, placing a step on the ground. A woman dressed like a noble lady descended gracefully.
She was beautiful and well-maintained, though faint traces of age showed on her face.
But that did nothing to diminish her noble aura.
The moment she stepped down, her eyes flared with anger as she glared at Levi.
"Levi! What is the meaning of this?"
"You've brought your private army and a squad of magi here to block my path at the city gate? How dare you!"
Duke Levi smiled politely and nodded.
"Lady Cassandra, I trust you've been well."
"I brought these people only to ask that you stay here a while longer."
"I'll let you into the city, but not yet."
Though his tone was mild, the air between them was sharp with hostility.
"Levi, don't forget who I am."
"I never have, Lady Cassandra. Ever since the day you used your status to force me to marry you, I've remembered it clearly."
Beneath Levi's calm, courteous expression, his words carried a scandalous revelation.
A story that could almost be called a royal secret, casually spoken aloud.
The guards around Cassandra exchanged shocked glances, unsure whether they should even be listening.
Cassandra's face flushed in fury and humiliation.
"After all these years, you still bring that up? What are you trying to do, humiliate me?!"
"I only wanted to reminisce while keeping you here for a while. And to remind you, your surname is no longer Saul."
Levi waved his hand, and one of the magi stepped forward, channeling energy into his orb.
The glowing sphere swirled with chaotic magic, then projected a shape onto the ground.
A table and two chairs materialized from thin air.
"Please, have a seat."
Levi gestured politely and sat down first.
Cassandra looked at the magus, her anger cooling slightly.
Levi's Arcane Corps.
Strictly speaking, "magus" was a profession.
They were not the same as mages. Becoming one was even harder.
They relied on expensive magical equipment to wield magic, while also training their physical strength to a superhuman level, able to fight and cast at once.
Even raising one magus cost more than most nobles could ever afford.
In the entire capital, only Duke Levi had the wealth and influence to train such a private army, right under the Emperor's nose.
In short, if Cassandra tried to force her way through, she wouldn't make it.
"I know why you've come, Lady Cassandra. You want to seek an audience with His Majesty."
A knight placed tea before both of them.
Only Duke Levi would think to sit drinking tea at the city gate.
Cassandra gracefully picked up her cup, her tone cold but composed.
"Devon is my son, and His Majesty's nephew."
"With such a matter, he will not sit idly by."
"Don't be rash, Madam."
Duke Levi had been in politics far too long to lose his composure now.
He continued calmly, his friendly tone softening her anger.
"First, you must understand, do you even know who your son provoked?"
"Viktor Clavenna. I'm sure you've heard the name."
At that, Cassandra's expression twisted, torn with frustration.
No one knew her son better than she did, she knew just how arrogant he could be.
"But Viktor is only a viscount..."
"He's now a fourth-tier mage."
Cassandra's eyes went wide in disbelief.
"No… that's impossible. Even you haven't..."
Levi shook his head and gave a helpless smile.
"But it's true."
"If Viktor is at fault, the Emperor will punish him. But if the one who was truly in the wrong… was Devon Lesser."
"Then forgive me for speaking bluntly, Madam."
"You'd best prepare yourself, to lose him."
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