CHAPTER 284: CHAPTER 283- SEDUCTIVE

Adrian was still recovering, which meant he wasn’t allowed to move around much—basically, unless it was to use the bathroom, he was told to stay in bed. Ariana was openly breaking one of the strictest rules: no female entry in the male dormitory. But then again, who would dare stop the headmistress?

She and Annabelle stayed by his side almost constantly. They made his meals, wiped his body, kept him company with chatter, and never left him alone for long.

Of course, if he dared bring up studying, Adrian would’ve been shut down immediately—and possibly scolded—so he hadn’t breathed a word about it. Instead, for the past two days, he secretly used the Time Chamber to cram everything he could about the fifth thread.

The effort had been brutal. He overdosed on potions, pushed himself past his limit, and for the first time ever, fainted from pure exhaustion. That was the price of using those gauntlets and forcing too much mana through his body. Still, something good came out of it.

[Name: Adrian

Age: 23

Race: Human

Str: 51

Spd: 50

End: 65

MP: 12000/12000

HP: 200/200]

A staggering nine thousand increase in magic points—just from applying Raven’s teachings on mana control while using body strengthening during his fight with Spade.

"Someone looks smug," Ariana muttered softly as she stepped into the room.

Annabelle was in the shower, finally taking a long bath—only because Ariana had scolded her into it. The girl had been clinging to Adrian’s side without rest.

"Well, I feel like I got something out of this whole mess," Adrian admitted with a faint smile. Then his expression turned serious. "Anyway... did you hear back from Ruby?"

He had decided he needed to talk with the Tower Master about what had happened during the ambush—the so-called ’miracle’ he had pulled off. Sooner or later, the Tower would notice the truth anyway. And if not, they would certainly keep a close watch on Adrian.

Adrian hoped that by being honest, he could build trust with the Tower. When the world eventually learned what kind of anomaly he really was, their support could mean everything.

But Ariana had warned him to consult Ruby first, before making a decision that big.

Adrian agreed, though Ruby still hadn’t returned despite promising to be back within a day.

"She didn’t respond to my letter. Should we be worried?" Ariana asked quietly.

Adrian frowned. That was odd. After a moment of thought, he said, "If she doesn’t respond by tomorrow, we’ll go check on her."

Ariana nodded, not dwelling on it too much. She was just about to sit down when a sudden knock came from the window.

Her brows furrowed. "I told that girl not to come here so often..." she muttered under her breath, already assuming it was the baton-user hanging around again. Grumbling, Ariana walked to the window and drew the curtains aside.

But instead of the familiar face she expected, someone else was waiting on the ledge.

"Sylvie?" Ariana’s frown deepened as she quickly opened the window, allowing the girl to climb in.

Sylvie’s cheeks turned crimson the moment she stepped inside. "I-I apologize, Headmistress, for breaking the rules," she said nervously, her eyes flickering toward Adrian. "But I wanted to see the Professor."

She could no longer hold it back. For four long days, she had waited, resisting the urge to rush here. Everyone said Adrian was recovering, but her heart hadn’t been at ease. Ever since that short visit in the infirmary, she had been dying to see him again.

And so, despite knowing Ariana would be here, despite knowing she might get scolded, Sylvie had finally come.

Ariana gave a wry smile. "You’re no better than Elana, you know that, right? I could suspend you for this offense." She crossed her arms, her tone firm though not entirely cold.

Sylvie lowered her head, her eyes carrying fear but no real regret.

"Isn’t it okay, Aria?" Adrian’s gentle voice cut in, making the Headmistress grumble under her breath.

If this kept up, her stern persona as headmistress would start losing its edge.

"Fine. I’ll make an exception—just this once. Don’t repeat this mistake."

Sylvie gave a quick nod, though she didn’t move an inch.

Ariana sighed and gestured toward the bed. "Go."

Only then did Sylvie step forward. Her eyes softened when she saw Adrian. His complexion had improved since the infirmary, and the smile he gave her now wasn’t forced. His gaze held that same quiet warmth that always put her at ease.

"Professor," she said with relief, her voice trembling slightly, "I’m so glad to see you healthy and safe."

Adrian nodded, his expression just as warm. "And I’m happy to see you as well. How’s your health now?"

Almost instinctively, Sylvie’s hand went to her stomach. "The strange sensation isn’t there anymore."

That made him tilt his head. "The treatment caused it?"

She nodded. "They said the worm was still active, searching for an organ to settle in. Apparently, that was good—removing it wouldn’t require surgery."

Adrian hummed thoughtfully as she continued.

"They... inserted something thin and long, like a pipe, through my mouth. It went deep. When they pulled it out, I heard them say, ’Just a golden worm.’ They sounded... disappointed."

Adrian gave a small, wry smile. Knowing Raven, she probably had her best people working on Sylvie. For them, extracting just a single golden worm must have felt underwhelming.

From the side, Ariana—who had been listening carefully—finally spoke. "Did they say anything else?"

Sylvie bit her lip before confessing, "There was a woman... her voice was dangerous." She hesitated, then glanced nervously at Ariana. "Seductive... kind of."

Ariana frowned as she asked, "What did she say?"

Sylvie’s eyes flickered toward Adrian before she muttered, "She kept asking about someone... someone she called Dear. She never mentioned a name, but she sounded desperate—like she would do anything to know about this person. She even asked me what my relationship was with him."

Inhale. Exhale.

Adrian heard Ariana take a long, steady breath. Her gaze locked on him, sharp and unblinking.

He felt the pressure instantly. He was cornered, caught between Sylvie’s words and Ariana’s suspicion. Before he could even think of a response, a loud voice shattered the tension.

"That damn bitch!"

The bathroom door slammed open with enough force to rattle on its hinges.

Annabelle stormed out, dripping wet and wrapped in nothing but a towel.

Sylvie’s face turned bright crimson. Adrian’s eyes went wide. And Ariana... she could only drag her palm down her face, shaking her head at the sight of the strongest warden bursting in at the worst possible moment.

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A/N:- Thanks for reading.