CHAPTER 131: CHAPTER 131: ECHOES IN THE DARK

Professor Erilyn Aossar entered in her dark red and black robes. Her presence commanded immediate respect. Her gaze swept over each of the students still recovering from the earlier chaos.

Some were still trembling, others pretended to be unconscious.

Erilyn stopped in front of the desk. Her eyes briefly fixed on William, then on Lia... and finally on the nobles who now avoided even swallowing.

"I’m disappointed," she finally said, her voice as cold as ice. "But I won’t waste any more time on you."

Absolute silence.

"Sit down. I’ll begin the class."

William frowned. Nothing else?

The teachers had always been on the lookout, waiting for any mistake he made to unleash a storm of punishments, accusations, or interrogations. And this time, he had really crossed the line.

He had attacked with a brutal spell. He had left several nobles bleeding on the floor. And yet... nothing.

"What’s happening?" he murmured.

"Perhaps," Angel said in his mind, "someone personally stopped the punishments this time."

William smiled to himself.

"Too bad I didn’t use a more powerful spell... it would have been worth it, I might have even killed them, haha."

In the nearby rows, the nobles whispered to each other.

"Why didn’t she reprimand him?"

"What’s going on?"

"My father said the professor would handle him... if there were problems."

Their voices were barely whispers, but their bewilderment was clear. Their parents had promised them William would be publicly punished. But that didn’t happen.

The Day Before...

In a dark room inside the academy, several leaders gathered around an enchanted table that displayed images suspended in the air.

Vice-Director Algheron, his face hardened by contained rage, spoke bitterly:

"The committee director stopped me! I couldn’t even interrogate the boy! And on top of that, they let him go without punishment."

A gray-haired woman, one of the high officials of the war faculty, raised an eyebrow.

"Did Drael defend him?"

"Yes. He said Agis, the new general director, gave him direct authority." Algheron clenched his teeth. "We suspect there’s a connection with Aurus... or with the former director."

"But the previous director left the academy, didn’t he?"

"Correct. He left for the Alliance’s main headquarters. And he hasn’t been seen since. Perhaps he won’t return."

One of the parents, Count Merklin, slammed his fist on the table.

"One of my sons died on that ship, in the incident with Agis! And now that damned brat gets direct protection!"

"We must move more carefully," another noble intervened. "If we attack directly, there could be retaliation. But if we let our children do the dirty work, it’ll be different. Fights between students aren’t punished."

"I’ve already sent people to the lost continent to investigate his past," Merklin added. "But with Aurus gone, the new person in charge is under direct orders from Agis. He won’t cooperate; I offered him money, even threatened him, but he thinks he’s untouchable under Agis’s orders."

He paused.

"However, we infiltrated some servants. And I also have someone trustworthy there. A grand knight... Jayce. He’ll be able to give us information later. And if necessary... act."

Back to the Present.

The class had begun. Erilyn spoke calmly, as if nothing had happened minutes earlier.

"Studies of magical creatures is not a subject to underestimate. Any idiot can wield a sword. But very few truly understand the mind of a beast."

She walked among the desks, marking each word with her firm steps.

"Today we’ll learn to identify tracks, behavior patterns, favorite foods, and types of energy that attract each creature." She turned to the magical blackboard. "The knowledge you gain here could save your lives."

Lia paid attention in silence, though occasionally she looked at William with a mix of relief and admiration.

"And as a final test," the professor continued, "we will perform a creature summoning evaluation."

Murmurs began immediately.

"Silence."

And it became silent.

Erilyn walked back to the front of the classroom, stopping next to her desk. Without raising her voice, she spoke with absolute clarity:

"Now you will observe how a true bond summoning is performed."

Several students leaned forward, expectant. Others swallowed. Everyone knew that this class marked a brutal difference between a mediocre apprentice and one who could aspire to be a mage.

Erilyn extended her right hand.

"First, the spell."

With her other hand, she began tracing a symbol in the air, an arcane pattern that glowed with a faint purple light.

"Ego vincio anima, pactum aeternae."

The light concentrated in her palm... and then a symbol appeared there, carved directly into her skin, shining, curved like a claw, pulsing as if breathing. "This is the bond seal. It’s activated with living magic and can only be maintained as long as the summoner’s soul is willing to accept the pact."

At that instant, the professor raised her hand.

"And now... observe."

Her voice was barely a whisper:

"Exurere Umbra."

The ground rumbled. A shadow crack opened in front of her, as if darkness itself had been torn. Slowly, a panther over three meters long emerged from it, with jet-black fur covered in red runes that glowed softly.

Its yellow eyes shone like lanterns in the darkness.

The creature exhaled with a purr that sounded more like thunder.

A wave of magical pressure filled the classroom. Some students fell to their knees. Others couldn’t help but look away.

William faced it head-on, eyes wide and heart racing.

"This... isn’t a simple summoning."

Angel whispered, fascinated:

"It’s a soul contract. That creature... is bound to her on a deeper level than common magic."

Erilyn stroked the panther’s back; it sat beside her obediently.

"This spell, the Soul Pact, is one of the most important a mage can master. A familiar isn’t just an ally. It’s an extension of your will."

She paused.

"During the evaluation, you’ll use a reduced version of the spell. Don’t expect results like this, of course. But if you form a genuine bond, you’ll immediately know if your beast is worthy of being your companion."

The panther disappeared in a flash of shadow.

"That’s all for today. You have three days to study, prepare your mana, and practice the bond spell. I want to see what you are capable of."