Kael smirked. "Don’t worry."

He adjusted his sword belt.

(This is good. If I go solo, I can fight on my own terms. I’ll test magic there... and see if it’s truly something I can master without disturbing the heroes’ paths.) Kael thought.

"The crystal hollow is located near the east arcadia about 10 to 15 km away. The council of the clan had ordered us. So take this emergency talisman in case danger appears." said Sylvia.

"You will head to the Crystal Hollow Valley," Sylvia continued, "fifteen kilometers east of Arcadia. Your goal: eliminate all demonic presences within the assigned perimeter."

Some students exchanged uneasy glances. "Crystal Hollow Valley".

Sylvia smiled faintly, as if reading their fear. "The demons you face are not exceptionally strong, but each one possesses a demon core on its forehead. Collecting these cores will determine your score."

"The more cores you have, the more points you gain like I said earlier. And remember — this time, teamwork is optional. You may act alone or form a group."

The crowd stirred again. Excitement flickered in some eyes, while others whispered nervously.

Kael stood near the back with his sword slung over his back.

"You may go now", Sylvia said.

The first year begins their mission.

Kael tightened the straps on his boots and exhaled. The faint burn in his thigh reminded him of yesterday’s wound, but he ignored it.

"Crystal Hollow Valley, huh..." he muttered. "Let’s see if the novel is true"

Everyone was preparing for the dungeon-clearing mission.

Kael checked the straps on his sword and adjusted the small pouch at his waist.

His wound still ached faintly, but he ignored it.

Just as he was about to step forward, a familiar voice called out behind him.

"Kael! Kael!"

He turned. Cecelia was hurrying toward him.

She clutched her staff close to her chest.

"Kael," she said, catching her breath. "Can we go together?"

Kael blinked, a little surprised. He hadn’t expected that.

Around them, several students turned their heads curiously — after all, Cecelia was one of the most admired girls in the first year.

He gave a small. "You want to team up with me?"

Cecelia nodded eagerly. "Yes. We work well together, don’t we? I can support you with magic, and you can handle the close combat."

For a brief moment, Kael considered it.

(Having her along would make things easier — she was skilled, intelligent, and quick. But then) his thoughts drifted to the heroes of the future... and his own resolve hardened.

(If I get too close to her, I might slow her growth... or worse, change her fate.)

He lowered his gaze slightly. "You’re strong, Cecelia. But I’m not. I’ll only slow you down."

Her expression fell. "That’s not true! You—"

Kael shook his head gently, forcing a small grin.

"You’ll do better with others. I’ll be fine alone."

"But—" Cecelia began, stepping closer, but before she could finish, another voice cut through

the air.

"Kael!"

He turned toward the sound.

Selena was jogging up the stairs that led from the lower grounds, a small book in her hand.

"Wait a second before you go," Selena said, slightly out of breath but smiling.

"Here. Take this."

She handed him a magic book, its black cover.

Kael blinked. "This... is a grimoire?"

Selena nodded.

"Yes. A beginner-level book. It should help you learn basic mana control and projectile casting. You said yesterday you wanted to learn magic, right?"

Kael took the book carefully, almost reverently. "Yeah. Thank you, Selena."

"It’s nothing," she said, smiling warmly. "Just don’t blow yourself up while reading it."

Cecelia, who had been standing quietly to the side, finally spoke. "You want to learn magic, Kael? I can teach you."

She smiled politely.

Selena’s eyebrows arched slightly.

"You?" She turned, her voice calm but edged with curiosity. "You’re Cecelia, right?"

Cecelia glanced at her without answering, her lips curling into a faint smirk.

(What an attitude...) Selena thought, suppressing a sigh.

Kael looked between them, confused by the sudden tension.

"Um... thank you both, but—"

Cecelia interrupted softly, stepping closer to Kael. "You don’t need to bother with her book. I can teach you far better magic than any of her manuals."

Selena tilted her head slightly. "Is that so? Because I didn’t know you suddenly became an expert in teaching beginners."

Cecelia’s eyes flickered coldly. "You don’t need to know everything."

Kael could practically feel the sparks between them.

He scratched the back of his head, trying to ease the awkwardness.

"Uh... I think I’ll start with the book first. I can’t waste time for the mission."

He gave a short bow to both. "Thanks again. I’ll see you later."

Before either girl could respond, Kael turned and jogged toward the glowing terminal.

"Wait—Kael!" Cecelia called after him, but he didn’t stop.

As soon as he was gone, silence fell between the two girls. The faint hum of the teleport gate filled the space between their glares.

Selena crossed her arms. "What’s your problem? I was just giving him a book."

Cecelia’s eyes narrowed. "Don’t ever try to get near Kael."

Selena blinked, taken aback. "Excuse me? What are you even talking about?"

"You know exactly what I mean." Cecelia said. "He’s different. He doesn’t need people like you distracting him."

Selena’s patience thinned. "People like me?" she repeated. "I was helping him. You don’t own him."

Cecelia’s lips curved slightly, but it wasn’t a friendly smile. "You think you’re helping, but you’ll only get in the way."

(in our way) Cecelia thought.

Before Selena could reply, Cecelia turned and walked away toward the terminal.

The portal shimmered as she stepped through, disappearing into the mission field.

Selena stood still for a moment, her hand tightening around her sleeve.

(What’s her deal?) she thought, exhaling sharply. (Possessive much?)

Around them, other students began to whisper.

"Did you see that? Cecelia looked angry..."

"Yeah, she told Selena to stay away from Kael!"

"Is there something going on between them?"

Selena ignored the murmurs, her gaze shifting to the portal where Kael had vanished.

She sighed softly. "You better not die out there, Kael."

Then, straightening her posture, she turned toward the Ground One and began preparing for her own research.