The return journey to the Royal Aegis Academy was a stark contrast to the morning's departure. The gold-leafed carriages, once symbols of royal pride, now felt like funeral processions. The Earth-Drakes puffed steam into the darkening air, their heavy footfalls the only sound in a silence so thick it was suffocating.
Inside the lead carriage, the atmosphere was poisonous. I sat in my usual spot in the rear, head bowed, shoulders slumped in a practiced display of "commoner's exhaustion." But beneath my grime-streaked tunic, the Heart of the Forest hummed against my soul. It was a rhythmic, primal thrum that synchronized with my own heartbeat, feeding my mana core with a purity I hadn't felt since my peak in the previous life.
[Notice: Mana Core Evolution at 45%...]
[Current Karma Balance: 4,000 KP]
Across from me, the two guards were no longer ignoring me. They were watching me with a mixture of confusion and irritation. To them, I was a lucky cockroach that refused to be crushed.
But it was the gaze from the front of the carriage that mattered. Through the small viewing window, I could see Marcus. He wasn't looking at the scenery. He was staring at a map of the Second Circle, his fingers tracing the route we had taken over and over again, as if he could find the thief by staring at the parchment long enough.
His "Intent," as seen through the [Eye of the Abyss], was no longer just crimson. It was a swirling, oily black. [Obsession].
He hadn't just lost a treasure; he had lost his destiny. And he knew it.
"We have arrived," Commander Valerius's voice cut through the silence as the carriage lurched to a halt in the Academy's main square.
The gates were crowded with students who had stayed behind, eager to see the "great trophies" the Prince had brought back. Instead, they saw a grim-faced procession and a Prince who stepped out of his carriage without a single word, ignoring the cheers of the crowd as he stormed toward the inner sanctum of the faculty spire.
"Dismissed!" Valerius barked at the rest of us. "Return to your dorms. There will be no debriefing tonight."
I didn't need to be told twice. I kept my head down and moved through the crowd, blending into the shadows of the stone corridors. I needed to reach my room before the mana evolution hit its peak. My skin was beginning to itch, a sign that my physical vessel was struggling to contain the sudden influx of relic-grade energy.
I was nearly at the North Wing dorms when a hand caught my elbow. It was light, almost delicate, but the grip was firm.
"Not so fast, 'Lucky' Kaelen."
I turned. Lady Seraphina stood there, half-hidden by a stone pillar. She had shed her hunting leathers for a flowing silk gown of deep emerald, looking every bit the noblewoman. But her eyes were sharp, scanning my face with terrifying intelligence.
"The Prince is currently breaking every vase in his study," she whispered, stepping into my personal space. "He's convinced the Demon Cult was lurking in the woods. He's convinced they stole the Heart."
"A terrible tragedy," I said, my voice a rasp. "The Cult is getting bolder."
Seraphina let out a short, dry laugh. She reached out, her fingers brushing the hem of my sleeve where a tiny, glowing green thread of mana—a remnant of the relic's energy—clung to the fabric. Before I could react, she plucked it off and crushed it between her fingers.
"You're playing a game that will get you flayed alive, Kaelen Voss," she said, her voice dropping to a dangerous, intimate level. "Whatever you took... it's changing you. I can smell the forest on your skin. I can see the way your shadow doesn't quite match your movements anymore."
I didn't deny it. To deny it now would be an insult to her intelligence, and I needed her as an ally, not a rival. "Everyone has secrets, My Lady. Yours involves a certain poison meant for a royal wedding. Mine just happens to involve a shiny rock."
Seraphina's eyes widened slightly. The jagged white intent of [Shock] flared around her for a second before she smoothed it over.
"The rock isn't just shiny," she whispered. "It's the pulse of this continent. If Marcus finds out—"
"He won't," I interrupted. "Not unless you tell him. And we both know you want him weakened more than you want him rewarded."
We stood in the darkened hallway for a long moment, the silence between us a heavy, living thing. Finally, she stepped back, her expression unreadable.
"The Combat Trials continue in three days," she said, smoothing her skirts. "The Prince has requested 'High-Intensity' duels. He's looking for a vent for his rage, Kaelen. He's going to pick you. And this time, he won't use a machine. He'll use his own blade."
"I look forward to it," I said.
She turned to leave, but stopped, looking over her shoulder. "Buy something to protect your neck. You're no use to me as a corpse."
I watched her disappear into the darkness before I finally reached my room. I bolted the door, collapsed onto the narrow bed, and opened the Karma Shop.
My body was screaming. I had 4,000 points. It was time to stop being "Lucky" and start being "Lethal."
[Karma Shop: Recommendations for Host...]
[1. 'Void-Severing Blade Art' (Rank: Epic) - 2,500 KP]
[2. 'Manual of the Silent Heart' (Mana Suppression) - 1,000 KP]
[3. 'Phantom Cloak' (Passive Stealth Enhancement) - 500 KP]
I didn't hesitate. I clicked 'Purchase All.'
A flood of information—thousands of sword forms, breathing patterns, and stealth techniques—poured into my brain. At the same time, the Heart of the Forest finally finished its first cycle.
[Evolution Complete!]
[New Status: Rank D+ (Hidden). Public Display: Rank F.]
[Mana Core: Forest-Attuned (Regeneration +200%).]
I sat up, my eyes glowing a faint, ethereal green in the dark room. My muscles felt dense, my mind clear. Marcus wanted a duel? He wanted to vent his rage on the "lucky commoner"?
I pulled my old iron dagger from my boot. With a thought, I channeled a sliver of the new, green mana into the blade. The rusted metal didn't just glow; it hummed with a sharp, hungry edge that sliced through the very air.
"Come then, Marcus," I whispered to the empty room. "Let's see whose destiny is stronger."