CHAPTER 852: CURTSY IN STARLIGHT

Adam’s voice cut through the rumble of his lightning halberds, overpowering the cacophony of laboured breaths and disbelieving gasps from over two hundred students. The committee members hid their shock with more discipline, but their pupils remained constricted, fingers squeezing their wands until the enchanted timber cracked even as they reinforced the barrier.

Among them, Astride glared at him. Her frown raked through her forehead like bitter scars. She entered the venue beneath the starlit ceiling, eyes darting to Dorian and Abyrath. Both trembled under the halberds, a few feet in front of Adam’s throne. Then to Adam, who gazed at them with more contempt than a disappointed teacher.

Yet, though he read her displeasure with him and her disciple’s performance, he noticed how she stole glances at Virgo. Everyone was. He believed very few had ever seen her, if any, besides the Teacher of the House of Exorcism. He wouldn’t bet on it, though. But Astride’s glances were different.

He retraced them from Virgo’s blue and gold skirt, white shirt and frills, to her aquamarine eyes. Then, over to Elliot in the crowd. He tilted his head.

In the moment before he could ask, and Astride’s heavy steps halted in front of him, Virgo spoke. "You’re an interesting boy." She pointed at Adam. "Listen to him, build confidence, and train. I believe your place lies in this building."

When she turned toward Adam, he felt as if her eyes pierced through his skin and flesh. The nasty feeling made him shiver for a heartbeat before her smile made it fade. "We’ll meet again once you’re worthy."

The image of Adam’s golden soul lingered in her pupils as she lifted her skirt half an inch. "Farewell." She curtsied, her smooth skin dissolving into starlight that shot up toward Spica in the ceiling.

With her departure, the constellations and dark sky gave way to the ceiling’s gray paint. A vagrant gust washed away her scent of ears of wheat bathed by the summer sun, erasing the last echo of her presence as if she had been a dream within a dream. But one speck of starlight remained, drifting inconspicuously.

Silence lingered for a couple of seconds. Then Astride broke it with a snarl and a wave of her hand. "You win."

The emblem on his chest brightened with the promised one thousand points. But Astride’s eyes narrowed like daggers coated in venom. "I won’t deny your creative use of elements. No one will. But I’m afraid you don’t understand the consequences of your little taunt." She shoved a parchment filled with students’ names and signatures in his hands. "You thought yourself wise? You’re not leaving until you register."

Adam pursed his lips, a sharp brow arched over his narrowed eyes as he understood her game. ’She’s trying to force me into her class, to save face.’

With over two hundred witnesses, the story would either be: the new student defeated one of the strongest duelists, or Astride saw the new student’s potential and took him beneath her wing. The first step of a long plan. Apprenticeship, joining the disciplinary committee under her, then the enforcers, with her recommendation. He would fall into her sphere of influence, riding on a boat she had total control of and would never let go now that he had shown he could summon Virgo.

Many would dream of getting this opportunity born from her humiliation. Not him. He pushed the parchment back into her hands, shaking his head. "Thank you, Teacher, but I’ll have to decline your heartfelt offer."

Before the last word left his mouth, his brows twitched at his bright emblem. Did she just... deduct his points?

He clenched his jaw, snuffing the creative curses fusing through his mind to negotiate. "What about—"

Astride interrupted him with another deduction and a command. "Sign."

He glared at her, mana drifting from his sky-blue eyes. "No."

From the crowd, Desmond screamed when he saw Adam’s points take another dip. "That’s unfair, Teacher Astride. Don’t answer, Adam. Even better. Come. We’ll file an official complaint to Teacher Kassel! Burn me. We’ll even talk about it with Rector Haldris in tomorrow’s class."

As Desmond rushed toward Adam, Elliot followed with his own advice. "Let her remove as many points as she wants. As long as you don’t give her real justifications, we can reverse it all!"

"Enough!" A voice boomed from the balcony above.

Adam hadn’t paid it attention since everyone had spread around the venues. But now, a few magi leaned over the railing, most on the first floor. The voice came from a man on the second floor—the only one.

He met the man’s red eyes. They were stern, commanding, but also softer when they landed on him. But what drew his attention were the scars carved onto the man’s face, the broad scarf trying to hide them, and the heavy, dark robes he wore.

One of the first exorcists, Adam thought as the man continued.

"You’re pushing it, Astride. But I can also see where you’re coming from."

"But!"

The man cut Astride off, making her step back with a grimace, while the students’ shock shot to whole new levels.

Adam’s emblem brightened when he waved his palm. "Look at our poor students. They still can’t believe you’ve summoned Virgo. I wouldn’t either if I had not seen it for myself. I believe that deserves an extra thousand points and a better offer. Sign the parchment. Become an honorary student of Astride’s class, and wear the disciplinary committee badge when you compete in the annual tournament."

A pensive frown creased Adam’s brow. The man would tie his achievement to the disciplinary committee for all of Brineheart to see. It was a political move, but also a nuanced solution. For one, he wouldn’t lose anything since he didn’t care about politics.

Then, the honorary student would allow him to join the class whenever he wanted. Not too interesting a boon, but he could imagine watching Desmond or Elliot’s duels and advising them a few times, so why not?

Lastly, he felt the man’s good intention through his hideously scarred lips, as if he had left something unsaid, that agreeing with him in itself would bring about benefits.

Intrigued by what, he ultimately nodded, instinct melding with reason. "I guess I can’t complain, Teacher..."

"Kassel Orin Durein, leader of the disciplinary committee," the man answered, his lips curving as Adam wrote his name on the parchment. "You won’t regret it. Let him leave Astride. Oh, and register his little friend." He glanced at Elliot, nodding. "Acknowledged by Virgo. I’ll look forward to your achievements."

Elliot watched Kassel leave, his cheeks burning, his eyes trembling. Kassel... Very few students ever saw him to the point that none really knew what he looked like. Yet, that same man took an interest in him?

Heart drumming in his chest, he signed Astride’s parchment. He, too, would become strong. Strong like Adam, strong enough to make Virgo proud if he ever met her again. She had even told him to train in this building, so of course, he would.

As the situation settled and Adam bid his friend and a disgruntled Astride goodbye, something happened in the building’s basement.

The speck of starlight drifted between statues of past champions and heroes until it settled onto the depiction of a woman. Stone eyes flashed golden for a heartbeat, arms raining dust as they trembled. Then, silence. Deep, as if nothing had happened.

But the statue was subtly different now—it was waiting.