The Anomaly's Path

The third day of the festival didn’t start with a bright sunrise, it crept in under a dull, grey fog.

I stood near the edge of the central path, holding a half-empty cup of bitter herbal tea. Around me, the academy was already awake, but it wasn’t the happy, chaotic energy of the first two days. It was tense and rushed.

The gates had been open for two more. Now, on this fifth morning, the third official day of the festival, the cracks were showing. Tired students were dragging crates across the paths. Stall banners hung crooked in the damp air.

And security had clearly doubled everywhere.

So the council and the higher-ups are already moving behind the scenes, I thought, taking a slow sip of my lukewarm tea.

I kept thinking about my talk with Morgana last night. The Fallen. The Astra Union had caught a high-ranking cultist. They knew an attack was coming to Aegis. In the game, none of this happened. The attack was a complete, brutal surprise.

Players were caught off guard. They had to choose between three impossible paths while people died in the plaza and the banquet halls.

Things had changed. But knowing an attack was coming didn’t mean they could stop it. In the game, the Fallen’s real weapon wasn’t a front-line army. If the instructors only guarded the main gates, they’d be preparing for a storm while the flood came through the basement.

I threw my cup in the trash and ran a hand through my hair. Then my thoughts drifted from the cult to tonight’s banquet. And more specifically, to Malva.

I let out a low, dry breath. I really should have thought this through more.

Left alone, Malva would have spent the banquet hiding in a dark corner or skipping it entirely to clean equipment.

She was a quiet, practical commoner who preferred to stay invisible. It was a habit born from years of debt and avoiding nobles. In a way, her shyness matched my own wish to stay out of the spotlight, even though being a Celestial meant I couldn’t.

By dragging her as my partner, I was pulling her into the kind of high-society attention she hated. To her, it probably felt like walking into a minefield.

Still... I thought, my gaze softening as I remembered her working quietly beside me these past few days, handling supplies without a single complaint. She’s part of my team now. She shouldn’t have to hide every night just because of where she came from.

Besides, I didn’t leave her completely unprepared. I had already arranged for formal dresses to be sent to her room this morning.

Well, I asked Lyra to handle it. I knew nothing about women’s formal fashion, so I gave Lyra credit points and told her to pick a few simple, elegant options so Malva could choose what made her feel least uncomfortable.

I also told Lyra to watch Julian today and to make sure my mother and Mia stayed safe. With the Fallen threat hanging over the academy, keeping my family near the reinforced outer transport zones was the only way I could focus.

"Right," I muttered to myself, adjusting my coat. "Time to check in with the higher-ups."

_

The Student Council headquarters was busy and chaotic.

Magical papers flew across long wooden tables. Third-year staff rushed around. The air smelled of burnt paper. Near the main map of the academy stood Sylvia. My older sister looked perfect as always, her long black hair tied back, her eyes scanning a report with cold intensity that made two dwarf helpers step back.

Behind her, lounging in a velvet chair, was President Elian Silvanis.

The silver-haired elf sat lazily, a smug smile on his face, twirling a pen as he signed papers while Sylvia did most of the actual work. To the side, Borin, the broad dwarf senior, was checking rune diagrams, while Drake, the pale, sharp-eyed vampire senior, quietly briefed a group of night patrol captains.

I walked into the room, keeping my footsteps quiet.

"Ah, the first-year Primus decides to grace us with his presence," Elian drawled smoothly, leaning his head back against the chair. "Come to offer your services for the evening shift, Leo? Or are you here to admire how terribly hard I work?"

"If by ’working hard’ you mean bleeding my sister dry of her patience, then yes, it’s truly inspiring, President," I replied flatly.

Sylvia didn’t even look up from her ledger, though a faint twitch appeared near her temple. "Ignore him, Leo. If I strike the President inside the office, the paperwork to cover up his murder will take three hours."

She finally put down her pen and locked her eyes on me. The coldness in her gaze softened just a little, a small change that only someone who grew up with her would notice.

"You’re late," she said simply.

"Busy," I lied smoothly.

Sylvia walked over, her steps sharp against the floor. She nodded toward a side room away from the noisy staff. I followed her inside, and she closed the door, shutting out the noise.

"Listen, because I’m only saying this once. I already told Mother to go back to the estate quarters before the late-night events start. You know how stubborn she is, she wanted to stay for the banquet, but I made her leave early."

"Did she actually listen?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"She had to," Sylvia scoffed, crossing her arms. "The banquet is split into two halls tonight, one for students and one for important guests and faculty. It’s not open to regular tourists anyway, but I’m not letting her stay when things could get risky. Once the formal greetings are over, her escort will take her home."

I nodded slowly. "That’s fine. What about you? Try not to stress yourself out before the opening address."

"I will break your legs if you lecture me," Sylvia threatened coldly, though her grip on her clipboard loosened a little. "Just handle your patrol on eastern security post and don’t make me come drag you out of trouble tonight."

"Understood," I smirked, turning toward the door. Before leaving, I raised my wrist, tapped my watch, and sent a quick message to Roan, telling him to take Alice and guard the western courtyard barrier under Sylvia’s command for the afternoon.

"You two are assigned to the western courtyard barrier under Sylvia’s direct command for the afternoon. Don’t be late, and Roan, don’t try to sneak off for a nap."

A second later, Roan’s reply flashed back.

Crazy Elf Bastard (Roan): "Do you hate me? You definitely hate me. She’s going to use my soul for barrier fuel."

I ignored his complaining, closed the watch, and stepped out into the quiet side corridor leading toward the eastern security post.

_

The quiet didn’t last long. A lone figure stood by the tall windows of the eastern corridor, looking out at the misty courtyard.

She had long black hair that fell past her shoulders, catching the pale morning light. Her lean, athletic build was neatly hidden under a clean academy uniform. As she turned at the sound of my footsteps, her deep crimson eyes locked onto mine, sharp, unreadable, and glowing in the dim light.

Seris Lunaria.

The Rank 1 second-year Primus. The Apostle of the Moon Goddess. And, currently, the person I owed a debt to that I hadn’t yet paid.

"Leo," she said. Her voice was flat.

"Seris," I acknowledged, stopping a few paces away. "I didn’t expect to find you stationed on the eastern wing this morning."

"I took the early shift," she replied, her eyes scanning my face with that terrifyingly blunt directness. "The President was sleeping on his desk. Sylvia was threatening to burn the logistics ledger. It was quiet here."

I let out a quiet, dry chuckle. "Yeah. Sounds like them."

Silence settled between us for a few seconds. I slowed my pace as I closed the remaining distance between us.

My mind briefly flicked back to our promise from days ago. She hadn’t shown up on either the first or second day of the festival, nor had she mentioned it once today. Was I right? Did she actually forget about the dinner...

I shook my head and pushed the thought aside.

"About the dinner..." I spoke up, breaking the quiet. "I owe you an apology, Seris."

She tilted her head slightly, her dark hair shifting over her shoulder. "Why?"

"I promised I’d take you out yesterday," I said. "But with the stall running until last night, the security shifts doubling, and the grand banquet starting at midnight tonight... I haven’t had the time to set up a proper place. I don’t want to just drag you to a crowded stall and call it even."

Seris stared at me, her crimson eyes completely unblinking.

"You don’t need to apologize," she said flatly. "Security was increased this morning. The schedules were changed. I knew you were busy."

"Still," I grumbled softly. "A promise is a promise."

"We will do it later," Seris said simply. "After the festival ends. After the work is done."

She paused, her gaze dropping down to my hands for a fraction of a second before returning to my eyes.

"Besides," she added, her flat voice carrying a hint of dry humor, "you rejected my dance offer at the gala two months ago because you said I looked like a doll that was going to murder everyone. If you rushed a dinner now, I might actually fulfill that description."

I nearly choked on my breath, a genuine, sudden laugh tearing out of my throat.

"You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?" I asked, shaking my head.

"No," Seris replied instantly, completely deadpan. "It was very rude. I was wearing formal shoes."

"I was exhausted, grumpy, and I didn’t even know you yet," I defended smoothly, though there was no real bite to it. "And to be fair, you did pop out of the shadows at midnight without making a sound."

"That is how I walk," she said calmly.

A quiet beat passed. The tension from my thoughts about the Fallen faded a little, replaced by the strange calm that always came when Seris was around. She didn’t treat me like a noble or like glass. She was just blunt, strange, and entirely herself.

"Who are you going to the banquet with tonight?" she asked suddenly.

"Malva," I answered honestly. "From my team."

Seris nodded once, her expression not changing in the slightest. "...I see."

I frowned. What’s with that reply?

I stared at her side profile. The slight, rigid posture, the subtle turn of her chin...

Is she actually sulking right now? I thought, surprised for a second. I didn’t think she was capable of being petty. But looking at her pale face framed by dark ink hair under the morning light, I had to admit, she really was dangerously attractive when she dropped her unreadable mask, even by a fraction.

"...Hey," I murmured, leaning slightly closer with an amused glint in my eyes. "Are you actually pouting, Seris? Do you want me to ask you for a dance tonight to make up for it?"

Seris turned her eyes back to me, her crimson gaze sharp and completely calm, blowing away any illusion of sulking in an instant.

"No," she said instantly. "You are taking your teammate, Malva. Stepping on her feet will be less embarrassing for you."

"Ouch," I laughed, shaking my head. "Cold as always."

"Go finish your patrol, Leo," she said. "The night will be long."

"Yeah," I nodded, pushing off the wall. "See you at the banquet, Seris."

Behind me, I could have sworn I heard a faint, almost silent breath of amusement.

_

The rest of the afternoon was a blur of inspections, patrols, and last-minute prep.

As the sun went down, painting the sky in deep purple and orange, the festival grounds slowly closed. Stalls shut down. Visitors were led to the outer gates by guards. The academy turned its attention to the central palace.

The Grand Banquet was coming.

By eight in the evening, I was back in my dorm room in the Primus wing. The room was quiet, a stark contrast to the noise of the past few days. I stood in front of the tall mirror, taking off my patrol gear. I took a long, hot shower, washing away the dirt and tiredness of the week.

When I stepped out, I pulled my formal outfit from the warding chest. It was a formal outfit, a grey silk shirt, a dark vest with a high collar, dark blue trousers, and a dark blue tie. Over it was a white silk coat with silver thread along the cuffs and lapels.

I looked in the mirror and adjusted the collar. My hair, which had been cut recently, fell over my forehead in soft, messy layers that made my sharp features look even better.

I touched my left earlobe. There was a small silver stud with a deep blue gem, so dark it looked almost black. The Tear of the Drowned King.

Next, I reached into my void pocket and pulled out a silver chain with a lightning bolt emblem, the Emergency Beacon Pendant my father, had given me. I didn’t wear it openly. I slipped the chain over my head and tucked the emblem under my shirt, letting it rest cool against my chest.

If everything goes to hell tonight... if the Fallen break through... this is my last resort, I thought, feeling the faint, solid weight of the metal. It was a direct line to the strongest man in the domain. A promise that no matter how deep the trap was, I wasn’t alone.

Finally, I picked up the dark blue tie, staring at it for a long five seconds.

"Damn it," I muttered under my breath.

Usually, Lyra was the one who handled these tedious formal knots for me before major events. But since I had sent her off to manage Malva and watch over Julian, I was left to struggle with the silk fabric on my own.

After three frustrating attempts, I managed to secure a clean, respectable knot, smoothed down the lapels of my white silk coat, and checked my reflection one last time.

The young man staring back at me didn’t look like a tired guy who had spent the last four days flipping meat skewers and running a tavern. He looked every bit the high noble, the dangerous, unpredictable Primus of the Celestial family.

"Not bad," I murmured softly. "Now... let’s go pick up my quiet partner."

Before heading straight to the banquet hall, I had meet with someone. I turned off the dorm lights, stepped out into the cool, silent night air, and walked into the buzzing darkness of the academy.