"I swear, I will kill all of them. So called fucking elders.", a voice of a lady echoed somewhere in the university.
It was not in the Roundtable chamber but a silence hollow room.
and the lady who spoke those horrible words was Lisa whose voice was controlled —but only barely. She stood by the tall window with a expression that can trigger a fear in anyone who saw her. It was clear that she was pissed by something.
Eren sat at the head of the long obsidian table, fingers interlocked, his gaze fixed on nothing. The faint glow of mana-lamps cast sharp shadows across his face, making him look serious—burdened. The decision of the elders still echoed in the room like a verdict that no one agreed with, yet none could overturn.
"They're abandoning them.", Lisa spoke smashing her fist on to the wall, making cracks into it like a lady engulf in rage.
"They're prioritizing Rigour Town's protection," she continued, her tone sharper now. "And the villages? Left to rot. As if they're expendable.", She added.
Draves leaned back in his chair, exhaling slowly, his calm demeanor standing in contrast to her rising anger. "Lisa," he said gently, we can't do anything about the decision they make."
Lisa shifted her gaze towards Draves with her sharp eyes she said " So, you are saying, we should abandon those villagers.", Her voice echoed in Draves mind.
"I am not saying that~", Draves voice crack but was immediately cut by Lisa.
"You don't need to say anything.", She glared at Draves with her white eyes looking like a devil who made her mind killing someone.
"I will just kill all of them once this is over...", Her eyes gaze towards Draves as if she was giving him a death stare. Eren was also present in his room and as he shifts his fingers downwards Lisa noticed him and her white devilish eyes shifted towards his eyes and in that moment a shiver run down his spine.
"...."
A sweat fell down from his face and His throat moved in a stiff gulp, the faint sound of him swallowing echoing louder than it should have in the tense air.
"Calm down, Lisa.", Draves spoke tilting his head and looking directly into her white eyes as if challenging her and breaking the tension. "We are not the elders. But we are still Arcanists. That means we find ways around decisions… not break ourselves against them.", He spoke moving his hands towards Lisa face as an act to calm her mind which was overwhelmed in anger.
Upon seeing Draves hand, she halted him using her hand to strike Draves hand and clenched her jaw but said nothing more. She looked away, though the fire in her eyes hadn't dimmed.
Principal finally spoke who was silent in the meeting and was sitting in the obsidian chair at front of all of them indicating his position with his royalty through his clothes.
"The elders believe concentrating power in one place increases survival probability. Rigour Town is… defensible.", He spoke moving his hand towards his chin, palm facing upwards supporting it.
"And the villages aren't?" Lisa shot back.
"They aren't.", Eren finally spoke breaking his silence and his few seconds fear which he got when he looked towards those devils' white eyes before which was having murderous intent.
That truth hung in the air—cold, undeniable.
Silence spread. ~
Suddenly the door creaked open making the light enters the hollow dark room.
Alongside the light enter three students two boys and a girl with blue cold eyes. They were the special student of the university.
One was a girl who has a blessing of frost which allow her to control ice. alongside her blessings she can use her mana freely and have learn some basic techniques like mana possession and her name was Riya.
Secondly, there was a boy name as Elvin who seems to be friendly but deeps down, he is different and somewhat jealous of someone, but he didn't show that. He doesn't have any blessing but can use many advance techniques using his mana. He is a top-class student and one day can become a true angelic soldier and seeing his talent Oryn, arcanist decides to teach him.
Thirdly, there was a boy with black hair and a black scarf wrapped around his neck. He is a special case as he has one of the rarest things in this cursed world. I was his mana nature [Thunder] which allow his basic mana attack coated with lightning that can paralysis anyone. He is one of the five student whom Draves decided to teach after the long Trials and now due to it he lives in dorms now. His name was Kira [Curse child].
They entered the room.
The shift in atmosphere was immediate—they could feel it. The tension, the weight… something had clearly gone wrong.
Kira's eyes moved across the room, reading the silence."…The meeting didn't go well."
No one answered directly—but that was answer enough.
Riya frowned slightly. "What happened?"
Draves leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. "The elders have decided to focus all defensive resources on Rigour Town."
Elvin's expression changed instantly. "What about the outer villages?"
No response.
"…They're being ignored?" he asked, disbelief creeping into his voice.
Lisa looked at him. "Yes."
The word hit harder than any explanation.
Elvin stepped forward, his fists tightening. "Where is master?"
"We didn't see him after the meeting.", Draves spoke.
Elvin's eyes sharpened as if he accepted the reality.
Kira looked at principal who was silent as if he wants to ask something then shifted his eyes towards Draves but as if he was shifting his eyes caught a glimpse of miss Lisa.
It was filled with rage but was locked inside by something.
He decides not to ask as it will open that lock and that rage would consume him and focused on the thing which he wanted to say to Draves.
"Umm"
He hesitated at first, but he finally spoke as Elvin slammed his back asking hi to say.
"We want to help.", He finally spoke but become a center of attention again.
Draves looked towards him and then shook his head.
"No", He said instantly.
The word was firm—final.
Kira frowned. "Why not?"
"Because," Draves replied, his tone steady but serious, "this is not a small-scale threat and also I don't want all of you too went in some danger again."
"We can fight old man.", Kira countered.
Riya was watching closely towards the words which Kira said.
"No...", Draves still being stubborn was into his words.
Lisa looked between them—then at Eren.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then, unexpectedly—
"…They're not wrong."
It was Eren.
Everyone turned to him.
He stood slowly, his presence immediately filling the room.
"The elders made a strategic decision," he said, "but strategy is not absolute justice."
Lisa's eyes widened slightly, principal was also there.
"We can give them experience about the real fight, you know.", Eren said looking towards Riya as if they have made something deal.
Draves watched him carefully. "Eren… think this through."
"I have," Eren replied.
A long silence followed.
Then Draves sighed—softly, almost amused.
"You all are insane."