Chapter 105: After the Storm
The heavy door to the detention room creaked open once more.
Kael instinctively turned toward the entrance.
Standing in the doorway was a tall young man dressed in the black uniform of the Academy’s Disciplinary Committee. His posture was perfectly straight, and his piercing gaze immediately settled on Kael.
It was Cairo, the Head of the Disciplinary Committee.
Without saying a word, he stepped into the room.
His eyes briefly shifted toward Isabella, who stood calmly beside Kael, but after a single glance, he chose to ignore her entirely.
Instead, he walked directly toward Kael.
The atmosphere inside the room instantly became heavier.
Unlike Xavier’s relaxed demeanor or Isabella’s gentle concern, Cairo carried himself like a man who was always prepared for battle.
He stopped a few feet away from Kael before speaking.
"Tell me, Kael, did you sign a contract with a Demon?" Cairo asked.
His voice was calm, but there wasn’t the slightest hint of friendliness in it.
Kael met his gaze without flinching.
"You tell. I’ve been held hostage here since the end of the tournament. I expect you to have answers for yourself," Kael replied.
Neither of them looked away.
The silence between them stretched for several seconds before Cairo finally answered.
"We couldn’t sense any demonic mana on you," Cairo replied.
Kael simply shrugged.
"So there’s your answer."
"I didn’t sign a contract with a devil."
"I don’t need to."
His eyes wandered toward the open doorway before returning to Cairo.
"It seems that I’m free to go. If not, I doubt we’ll be having this conversation like civilized people," Kael stated.
Cairo remained expressionless.
He studied Kael for another brief moment.
Almost as though he were trying to determine whether every word coming out of Kael’s mouth was genuine.
Finally, he turned around.
His boots echoed softly against the stone floor as he walked toward the exit.
Just before leaving, he stopped.
Without looking back, he spoke.
"Since the tournament is over, I’ll be seeing you soon."
"And like you said..."
"...you are free to go."
With those final words, Cairo walked out of the room.
The heavy door slowly closed behind him.
The pressure he carried seemed to leave together with him.
Kael released a long sigh.
"Well..."
"I guess I’m a free man."
"Although..."
"I don’t know how long I spent here."
He stretched his sore muscles before glancing toward Isabella.
She smiled warmly.
"It wasn’t as long as it probably felt."
Kael rubbed the back of his neck.
"I’ve definitely had better vacations."
Isabella couldn’t help laughing softly.
The two quietly walked out of the detention room together.
The corridor outside was brightly lit compared to the gloomy holding cells.
Members of the Disciplinary Committee dressed in black uniforms stood stationed throughout the hallway.
Some glanced toward Kael as he passed.
Others pretended not to notice him.
Their expressions ranged from curiosity to caution.
Kael looked around before letting out another sigh.
"Well..."
"I didn’t expect to get detention in a fantasy high school," Kael muttered internally.
Even after everything he had experienced since arriving in this world...
There were still moments that reminded him of his previous life.
Some things, apparently, existed in every world.
They continued walking until they finally stepped outside the detention center.
Fresh air greeted Kael’s face.
The sunlight felt unusually warm after spending so much time inside the cold stone building.
He took a deep breath.
For the first time since the tournament ended...
He truly felt free.
Beside him, Isabella slowed her steps.
"I guess my job here is done."
"I’ll be taking my leave."
She turned gracefully, preparing to leave.
"Wait."
Kael’s voice stopped her.
Isabella paused before looking back at him.
"Anything?" she asked.
Kael scratched the side of his face awkwardly.
For someone who had just fought the strongest first-years in the Academy...
This seemed strangely difficult.
"...Could you tell Mom thank you..."
"...for me," Kael stated, albeit shyly.
A gentle smile appeared on Isabella’s face.
"I think you are missing a few more words," Isabella said laughing softly.
Kael let out a helpless sigh.
"Okay..."
"Tell her..."
"That I love her"
Isabella’s smile widened the moment those words left Kael’s mouth.
For a brief moment, she simply stared at him.
Then, with an expression full of warmth, she bowed gracefully.
"I’ll make sure to inform her of that."
There was genuine happiness in her voice.
After all, she had watched Kael grow up from infancy.
Seeing the distance between mother and son slowly begin to close was something she had hoped for ever since he left the Draven estate.
Kael rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
"...Thanks."
Without another word, Isabella turned around.
Her elegant black dress swayed gently as she walked away from the detention center.
Kael watched her disappear into the distance before finally turning in the opposite direction.
For the first time in what felt like forever...
He wasn’t heading toward another battle.
He was simply walking.
The thought almost felt strange.
His body still ached despite the healing potion.
Every muscle reminded him of the brutal tournament he had just survived.
As he slowly made his way down the Academy pathways, students passed by in small groups.
Some recognized him immediately.
Others whispered quietly among themselves.
"The Tournament Champion..."
"That’s Kael Draven..."
"I heard he fought Auriella to a draw before winning..."
Kael sighed internally.
"So much for having a peaceful walk."
He lowered his head slightly and continued forward.
Not long afterward...
He noticed a familiar figure waiting near the pathway.
Charlotte.
The moment she spotted him, she crossed her arms and walked straight toward him.
Her expression clearly showed she wasn’t pleased.
"You know you should try to follow your advice once in a while," Charlotte said, approaching Kael with an angry expression.
Kael blinked.
"Is this what you tell a friend that recently got out of prison?" Kael stated, perplexed.
Charlotte frowned.
"What? You didn’t go to prison."
"That was detention."
Kael tilted his head.
"Do they actually call it that?"
"Of course they do."
She narrowed her eyes.
"And why are you avoiding the topic?"
"You used Mana Emphasization at the beginning of the fight even after telling me that you wouldn’t do it."
"That it was a dangerous technique."
Her frustration was obvious.
She still vividly remembered Kael warning her about the risks of Mana Emphasization.
He had practically lectured her.
Then...
He immediately ignored his own advice.
Kael scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"Well..."
"That advice was meant for you, not me in the first place."
Charlotte stared at him.
"...What?"
"It was meant for you."
"I’m special like that."
Kael wore an annoyingly smug smile.
Charlotte’s eyebrow twitched.
Without saying another word—
Thud!
She kicked him directly on the shin.
"This girl..."
Kael grunted, grabbing his leg as he hopped on one foot.
Charlotte turned around as though nothing had happened and continued walking.
Kael sighed before limping after her.
"So..."
"How long was I out?"
Charlotte answered without slowing down.
"Long enough."
"And you missed the badging ceremony."
Kael blinked.
"Oh..."
"Is that so?"
He wasn’t particularly surprised.
The award ceremony for the tournament champions usually happened immediately after the finals concluded.
Considering he had blacked out...
Missing it was inevitable.
Since the badges awarded to the first, second, and third-ranked students were different from everyone else’s...
They were always presented personally by the Principal after the ceremony.
A small smile appeared on Kael’s face.
"So..."
"Did Auriella make it?" Kael asked.
Charlotte nodded.
"Yeah."
"But she seemed pretty exhausted."
"They even had her eyes bandaged up."
Kael wasn’t surprised in the slightest.
His final attack had targeted her vision repeatedly.
Considering she relied so heavily on the Eyes of Ruin, overusing them against someone like him had undoubtedly pushed them beyond their limits.
"Well..."
"Can’t say that I didn’t see it coming."
"But oh well," Kael stated quietly.
Charlotte glanced sideways at him but chose not to comment further.
The two walked in silence for a while.
Eventually, Charlotte stopped walking and turned toward Kael.
"Oh, and you will be going to the Principal’s office tomorrow."
Kael looked at her curiously.
"Our new teacher, Lyra, said that I should inform you."
Kael sighed.
"So I’ve barely gotten out of detention, and I’m already being summoned."
Charlotte nodded sympathetically.
"Oh, and she is quite angry with you, so goodbye."
Without another word, she turned around and began walking away.
"And where are you going?" Kael asked.
Charlotte looked back over her shoulder.
"Oh, I have some things to discuss with Miss Lyra, so take care."
She waved casually before heading toward the teachers’ faculty building.
Kael watched her disappear into the distance.
"I have a bad feeling about tomorrow..."
he muttered to himself.
With nowhere else to go, Kael slowly began making his way back toward his dormitory.
Meanwhile...
Lilith quietly entered her room.
The moment she stepped inside, she froze.
A woman dressed elegantly in black sat comfortably on her bed as though the room belonged to her.
Her posture was graceful.
Her presence alone filled the room with suffocating pressure.
Seeing the woman, Lilith immediately stiffened.
"I see..."
"It seems like he has also come here before," the lady said before fixing her gaze on Lilith.
The calmness in her voice only made her even more terrifying.
"Madam Draven," Lilith said, immediately going down on one knee to bow respectfully.
"No need for such pleasantries."
"I just want to know..."
"When it happened."
Madam Draven slowly stood up.
"I thought I did tell you to protect Kael..."
"...not sleep with him."
Her crimson eyes glowed faintly as she looked down at Lilith.
"And now you’ve taken his virginity..."
She paused as she approached Lilith.
"So please enlighten me on what happened."
Lilith swallowed nervously.
She lowered her head.
"Well..."
"He was there during the incident at Velcrest City."
"And the Velvet Gang used a tournament he was a part of to summon a demon."
"Some members of Creed did have eyes on him, but I stepped in to save him."
"Although he was unconscious at the time, I took him to a hotel room where he regained consciousness..."
"...and it happened."
"I did tell him that you were against it, but I couldn’t stop him," Lilith elaborated.
The room fell completely silent.
Madam Draven neither moved nor spoke.
She simply stood there thinking.
Several moments later, she finally murmured,
"So he made contact with demon blood long before today..."
"How come he didn’t go berserk then?"
Her eyes suddenly sharpened.
She immediately turned back toward Lilith.
"You saw the symbol on his head?" Madam Draven asked.
Lilith immediately nodded.
"I did."
Madam Draven’s expression darkened.
"It means..."
"...the Velvet Gang know that he’s a candidate."
"And he’s from royalty no less."
Her voice carried an unmistakable trace of concern.
Lilith was tempted to ask what exactly Kael Draven was.
However, seeing the tension on Madam Draven’s face...
She wisely chose to remain silent.
Madam Draven stood quietly for another few seconds before making her decision.
She turned toward Lilith.
"Contact that master of yours."
"Tell her to meet me."
There wasn’t the slightest room for negotiation in her voice.
"Yes, Madam."
Lilith answered immediately.
Madam Draven gave one final glance around the room before walking toward the exit.
The atmosphere she left behind remained heavy even after she disappeared.
Lilith slowly released the breath she had been unconsciously holding.
She remained seated on the floor, staring at the closed door.
The more she learned about Kael...
The more mysterious he became.
Lilith slowly clenched her fists.
"...Just what exactly are you, Kael?"