Rehan had felt it too.
The change in Chirag’s presence.
Even now, the memory of that crushing pressure lingered like a fading storm. Beside him, the Priest stood frozen in silence, his hands trembling slightly.
Finally, the Priest spoke in a worried voice.
“You know… what am I supposed to say about this?”
Rehan sighed and rubbed his forehead.
“Nothing,” he replied quietly. “We keep it a secret.”
The Priest stared at him.
“But that power… it wasn’t normal mana.”
“I know,” Rehan said firmly. “Which is exactly why no one else can know.”
Meanwhile, on the training grounds, the students of Class 9 sat scattered across the grass, still trying to process what had happened.
Sohani coughed awkwardly.
“I regret my life choices.”
“Same,” Vaishnavi muttered.
Sneha remained silent, deep in thought.
Something is truly wrong.
Her eyes moved across the group.
Except for the three of us… the others look more confused than shocked.
Her gaze slowly drifted toward the castle.
What are they hiding from us…?
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Footsteps echoed across the stone path.
Rehan returned.
Sorry, he thought. But I have to lie.
He forced a calm smile.
“There’s no need to worry,” he announced. “It was only a small curse.”
The students exchanged confused glances.
Rehan continued explaining.
“When a monster possessed by magic dies, sometimes its blood carries a curse. If that blood splashes onto someone, the curse can attach itself to them.”
Sneha immediately spoke.
“But when did Chirag ever fight monsters?”
Silence spread across the group.
Most of the students lowered their heads, remembering the chaos of the summoning.
Only Vaishnavi and Sohani kept staring directly at Rehan.
Rehan felt uneasy.
This is bad…
If those three start thinking too much, the truth won’t stay hidden.
Suddenly—
“UNCLE!”
A cheerful voice shattered the tension.
Rehan turned around.
Running toward him was a small girl with messy hair and bright eyes.
It was Shiko.
“They’re ready!” she shouted excitedly.
Just as she finished speaking, a feminine figure silently appeared behind her.
The girl stood calmly beneath the sunlight.
Her deep green eyes reflected the light like the surface of a calm ocean.
Long black hair swayed gently behind her as the breeze moved through the training ground.
There was something elegant about her presence… yet something dangerously unpredictable.
Shiko grinned.
“…And Miss Alice is here too!”
Rehan froze.
“…What?”
Before anyone could react—
The woman vanished.
In the blink of an eye, she reappeared directly behind Rehan.
A ripple of mana distorted the air.
Rehan didn’t even turn around. Instead, he sighed in annoyance.
“Seriously… why the hell did they call you Alice?”
The woman laughed softly.
“Did you miss me, Rehan?”
Rehan finally turned to face her, his expression unimpressed.
“Why would I miss someone whose value is about the same as the dirt on my shoes?”
The entire Class 9 gasped.
“Ooooooh!”
Alice placed a hand on her hip and sighed dramatically.
“You really haven’t changed at all, have you?”
Then she tilted her head slightly and smiled mischievously.
“By the way… did you find me a husband like you promised?”
The entire class froze.
“…WHAT?”
Before Rehan could reply, Alice suddenly closed her eyes.
Her smile slowly widened.
“Hmm…”
She looked toward the castle.
“I sense something very special nearby.”
Rehan immediately understood what she meant.
“Since you can feel it,” he said calmly, “why don’t you go check on an old friend of mine?”
He gestured toward a nearby soldier.
“Escort Miss Alice to the guest chamber.”
The soldier bowed.
“Yes, sir.”
Alice smirked as she followed the soldier toward the castle.
Meanwhile, Rehan turned back toward the students.
His expression softened slightly when he looked at Shiko.
“Shiko,” he said gently, “why don’t you go meet your new sisters?”
Shiko’s eyes lit up.
“Really?!”
Before he could answer, she ran straight toward the group.
Anjal laughed and opened her arms.
“Aww, Shiko! Come here. Looks like you’ve got lots of new friends now.”
Shiko happily ran toward her.
The tension on the training ground slowly faded as the students began chatting again.
Inside the castle…
Alice walked through the long stone corridor, the sound of her footsteps echoing softly against the walls.
The playful smile on her face slowly faded.
In its place appeared a sharp, sinister grin.
She stopped in front of a heavy wooden door.
A strange pressure seeped through the cracks, thick and unsettling.
Alice’s eyes gleamed with excitement.
“…Now this aura,” she muttered softly, “is exactly my type.”
Without hesitation, she reached for the handle.
The door creaked open.
Darkness stirred inside the room.
To be continued.
