Chapter 120
“Everyone worked hard this semester.”
“Thank you for your efforts.”
Elaine responded reflexively to Professor Amilion’s words and glanced at the empty seat beside her.
By now, she was more accustomed to the seat being empty than having someone sitting there.
‘He didn’t return until the end of the semester.’
A bitter smile appeared on Elaine’s lips.
The owner of the seat beside her was Ryu Yeong.
Since she last saw him in the O’Neill Kingdom, Ryu Yeong had yet to return to the academy.
A lot had happened during that time.
The war between the Flora Kingdom and the Lorelai Kingdom in the western continent had finally ended with the Lorelai Kingdom’s victory.
The Flora Kingdom, which had resisted the combined forces of the entire continent, fell in an instant.
After a single devastating defeat, the creatures vanished without a trace, and the Flora Kingdom declared its surrender the next day.
Rumors circulated that the kingdom’s capital had been ambushed and almost completely destroyed or that realizing there was no hope, the black mages abandoned the Flora Kingdom and fled.
Regardless, one fact remained certain—the Flora Kingdom’s surrender marked the end of the war.
At the heart of it all was an unexpected organization.
The Black Shadow Corps.
Previously associated with a rather negative reputation, the Black Shadow Corps had undergone a complete transformation in public perception due to recent events.
Hans, the commander of the Lorelai Alliance, publicly declared that they owed their victory in the war to the Black Shadow Corps’ assistance.
He went on to state that the Lorelai Kingdom now considered the Black Shadow Corps an ally.
The impact of his statement was immense.
Those who had witnessed the Black Shadow Corps’ participation on the battlefield spoke favorably of them.
As a result, the Corps’ image changed almost overnight.
And that wasn’t the only news about the Black Shadow Corps.
The O’Neill Kingdom, previously mortal enemies of the Corps due to the Dragon Heart theft incident, had also spoken in their favor.
Reports stated that with the help of the Black Shadow Corps’ commander, they had captured a black mage and avenged the O’Neill Knight Order.
This news pushed the Black Shadow Corps’ image beyond positivity, elevating them to heroic status.
While they didn’t openly admit it, rumors spread that the Corps had been secretly pursuing black mages to maintain peace across the continent.
Such rumors gained traction, thanks in no small part to Yuria Prisis, a member of the Crescent Empire’s Six Great Houses.
Following the Lorelai and O’Neill Kingdoms, Yuria Prisis also made a public statement.
She revealed that she was a member of the Black Shadow Corps and that she had been working within the Corps to uncover the masterminds behind black magic.
She called for unity across the continent to identify and capture the remaining black magic perpetrators, advocating for a collective effort to eradicate black magic from the Arkaria Continent.
“Sigh, he didn’t come back until the end.”
“…Indeed.”
The voice belonged to Cynthia Surplus, who sat down in the once-empty seat beside Elaine, her violet hair swaying lightly.
By now, Professor Amilion had finished giving announcements and had left the classroom.
Elaine responded to Cynthia’s words with a quiet sense of melancholy.
Even with the continent abuzz with monumental news, Ryu Yeong still hadn’t returned to the academy.
Elaine had suspected when Ryu Yeong left that day that it might be a while before she saw him again.
His expression that day was unlike his usual calm demeanor.
Always appearing relaxed, that day he had seemed hurried, almost uneasy.
“Do you think he’ll come back next semester?”
“Well, he hasn’t officially dropped out, so I think he will.”
Elaine mixed her hopes into her reply to Cynthia’s rhetorical question.
While the others might not have known, Elaine was certain of one thing.
Ryu Yeong wasn’t simply working alongside Yuria Prisis as colleagues.
On that day, Elaine had unmistakably seen the face behind the black mask.
The black attire and mask.
The face hidden behind the Black Shadow Corps commander’s uniform was undoubtedly Ryu Yeong.
From the day he saved her from being kidnapped during the academy entrance exam to the countless events they had experienced together since—he was the same person.
The commander of the Black Shadow Corps, Ryu Yeong.
“…If Ryu doesn’t come back, there’ll only be four of us left in the class next semester.”
“…True.”
Elaine and Cynthia both sounded equally disheartened.
Their gazes naturally shifted to Emily Franz, who was packing up her belongings by the window seat.
Emily was taking a temporary leave of absence starting next semester.
Her reason for the leave was something everyone understood.
She had chosen to join the organization established by Yuria Prisis to help uncover the masterminds behind black magic.
Emily’s decision wasn’t simply motivated by a desire to be with her aunt.
According to her, Emily had seen undead creatures from a young age.
As a member of the Prisis family, she was gifted in magic, and more recently, she had encountered undead up close.
Though she was still a student, anyone could see she would be a valuable asset.
Recognizing this, Yuria welcomed her niece as a full-fledged member of her team.
Thus, Emily would be temporarily leaving the academy starting next semester.
Originally, there were seven members in Class S.
First Kane Hover left, then Ryu Yeong disappeared, and now Emily would be gone too.
“Emily and Ryu will come back someday.”
Elaine nodded absentmindedly in response to Cynthia’s words.
“Honestly, I can vaguely predict that Emily will return someday.”
“But I’m not so sure about Ryu Yeong.”
Elaine had faithfully kept the secret she shared with Ryu Yeong that day.
She had not told anyone that Ryu Yeong was, in fact, the commander of the Black Shadow Corps.
While others speculated, saying things like, “Isn’t Ryu Yeong part of the Black Shadow Corps? It’s clear since he works alongside Yuria,” Elaine remained silent.
‘There’s no way the commander of the Black Shadow Corps would return.’
At first, Elaine believed Ryu Yeong’s words that he would return someday.
But as time passed, incidents unfolded, and more articles about the Black Shadow Corps surfaced, she instinctively realized that the chances were slim.
With the entire continent holding such a favorable image of the Black Shadow Corps, there was no reason for the commander to hide his identity and return to the academy.
Moreover, the black mage Randgar Bayel, who had been hiding within Crescent Academy as the vice principal, had already been captured.
“Are you guys leaving?”
“Oh, yes. We should go.”
“We were waiting for you.”
Emily, who had been packing her belongings late, approached Elaine and Cynthia.
Elaine and Cynthia both stood up at the same time, standing beside Emily, who scratched her head apologetically.
“What are your plans for the break?”
Emily asked brightly, curious about what her friends had planned for the vacation.
Having already decided on her plans, she alternated glances between Elaine and Cynthia with a purely inquisitive expression.
Cynthia was the first to respond.
“I don’t really have anything planned. I’ll probably stay home and train.”
“Hmm, I see.”
“Mine’s similar. My father and eldest brother offered to spar with me if I wanted.”
Emily nodded at their responses.
Her expression betrayed a hint of disappointment, reminiscent of a child saddened at not being able to play with friends.
It made sense—Emily had initially proposed that both Elaine and Cynthia join Yuria’s alliance with her.
In the end, both had declined for various reasons.
“Emily, are you heading straight to Lady Yuria’s?”
“Yes, I’ll move my stuff out of the dorm and stay with my aunt.”
Emily’s face showed a mix of emotions.
She was happy to be with her aunt, but she didn’t want to part from her friends.
Her expression said it all.
Seeing this, Cynthia and Elaine gave her understanding nods with faint smiles.
Some things just couldn’t be helped.
“Wow, everyone has such well-thought-out plans for the break.”
The three of them froze simultaneously at the voice coming from behind them.
Without anyone saying a word, they all turned around at the same time.
The voice was unfamiliar yet nostalgic.
“Ha-ha. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
“What…?”
“Huh!”
“…!”
The person standing before them, as if nothing had happened, was none other than Ryu Yeong.
He stood there, casually, like someone they had just seen yesterday.
“What’s with those reactions?”
Ryu Yeong’s mischievous grin was exactly as they remembered.
***
In the pitch-black darkness, someone opened their eyes.
Though the darkness was so thick that nothing could be seen, the person who opened their eyes gazed around as if they could see everything.
There was nothing around.
Swish-
The figure moved methodically, almost as if testing whether their body was intact.
Left arm, right arm, right leg, left leg.
Their limbs moved as intended.
Crack, crack-
As they started moving all four limbs at once, a sound like breaking stone reverberated, and a body emerged from within a wall.
The place remained utterly silent and enveloped in darkness.
“Hoo…”
Heavy breathing filled the space.
The figure that had emerged from the wall stood still for a moment.
It seemed as if they were either asleep while standing or focusing intently on something.
Flash-
Suddenly, the figure’s eyes gleamed in the darkness.
‘Something has gone wrong.’
Simultaneously, they thought.
The emptiness of this place suggested that the plan had gone awry.
‘A meaningless matter.’
It didn’t concern them at all.
Smirk-
Their stiffened face twisted oddly into a smirk, just like their limbs had begun to move.
—
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