CHAPTER 101: REVELATION

The sun had long dipped beneath the horizon, and the faintest touch of moonlight slipped into the ward from the high windows.

Noah sat on his bed, the plate from dinner pushed to the side of the table, its faint scent of broth still in the air.

His strength was returning, slowly but surely. The trembling in his fingers had lessened, and though his muscles still ached from disuse, his body no longer felt like it was on the edge of collapse.

He leaned back against the headboard, staring into the shadows that pooled in the corners of the room, listening to their hushed whispers, until the creak of the door broke his focus.

Professor Cecilia stepped in, her golden eyes catching the light like fire in the dim ward.

She carried none of her usual strictness in her face this time, only a softness, the look of someone burdened with too many worries. She closed the door behind her and walked to his bedside, pulling the chair close before sitting down.

"Noah," she said gently, "how are you feeling?"

He studied her for a moment before answering, voice even. "Better. Stronger than this morning. My strength’s still coming back... little by little."

Relief flickered across her expression, and she reached out, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "That’s good. May I...?" She hesitated, then asked more directly, "May I use my healing on you? I want to make sure your body is recovering properly."

Noah nodded once. "Go ahead."

She lifted her hand, her palm glowing with a soft golden light, warm and pure. She placed it near his chest, and her magic poured into him in gentle waves.

The sensation was unlike anything else. It was soothing and invigorating, as if her light were washing away all the stains left on his body by the Authority’s torture.

His muscles eased, his breathing smoothed, and the haze in his mind cleared further. For a moment, Noah closed his eyes, letting it wash over him.

"You’re healing well," she said finally, drawing her hand back. "Your body’s stronger than most. I don’t see any lasting damage."

There was a pause as they both absorbed her words. No one spoke, and the atmosphere slowly began to turn awkward. Until Noah sat up straighter, his gaze locking onto hers. "Professor Cecilia... there’s something I need to tell you."

She lifted her head, her golden eyes narrowing slightly, though not in suspicion, but in focus. She leaned forward. "I’m listening."

He let the silence stretch, letting her anticipation grow before finally speaking. "My real potential isn’t FFF-rank. It’s SSS."

Cecilia blinked. Her lips parted, confusion flickering in her expression before settling into disbelief. "...What?"

Noah’s tone was calm, as if he wasn’t saying something that sounded unbelievable. "When I awakened, my racial effect hid my true potential. It masked me as FFF, but the truth is different. My potential has always been SSS. That’s why my magic capacity and mana control were high enough for me to cast the F-rank Fireball on the first day of class."

For a long moment, she said nothing. Then she whispered, almost to herself, "That’s... impossible. Unbelievable." Her voice trembled slightly as she struggled to believe his words.

"I’m not lying." Noah said, dragging her attention back to him. His eyes burned into hers, daring her to doubt him. "I’m not."

Cecilia could see it in his eyes. He believed he was telling the truth. She knew his mind was not the same, and it could be a hallucination, but she let herself hope.

Her chair scraped against the floor as she stood, almost too fast. She paced a step, her golden eyes wide and alight with something between awe and panic.

"If this is true, Noah, if what you’re saying is true, then this is the greatest news the academy, no, the kingdom itself has had in years. Do you understand what this means? An SSS-rank mage..." She pressed a hand against her chest, steadying her breath. "It changes everything."

Noah only tilted his head, silent.

"We need to confirm it." She said firmly, almost to herself. She straightened, her composure returning. "I’ll speak to the principal. To the other professors. This must be recorded, proven. It can’t stay hidden." Her voice dropped, urgent. "This could reshape the balance of power in Camelot, Noah."

She turned back to him, fire blazing in her golden eyes. "Stay here. Don’t move. I’ll be back soon."

He nodded, expression unreadable. "I’ll be here."

Satisfied with his answer, Cecilia gathered her cloak around her shoulders and strode to the door. Her steps were quick, almost frantic revelation she’d just had dumped on her.

She pulled the door open and slipped into the hall without another word.

The door clicked shut behind her, and silence fell once more in the ward.

Noah leaned back into his bed, his lips curling into the faintest shadow of a smile.

The whispers stirred again around him, fragments of his soul laughing in dark delight.

Everything was going according to plan.

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Cecilia gripped the railing of the enchanted lift so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

The crystal platform shuddered beneath her boots as it climbed the central tower, but no speed felt fast enough. Her golden eyes glowed faintly, flickering with urgency.

An SSS-rank student... The one they’d all been waiting for, and he had been here all along...

Her heart thudded as the lift chimed at the top floor. Without waiting for the crystal to finish stabilizing, she stepped off, her cloak swirling behind her.

The double doors stood before her, and with an impatient push, she threw them open.

Principal Aldred Kael, old as the marble walls that framed his office, looked up with clear irritation from the parchment in his hands.

His long white hair fell around his shoulders, his staff propped against the side of his desk.

"Professor Cecilia." He said coolly. "Do you make it a habit to storm into my office unannounced?"