Chapter 18 : Warcraft Extermination

“Take this report card back to the Holy Land.”

At Avalon’s gates, Via handed a letter to the cleric.

“Deliver it to Bishop Beron personally.”

“This is… your score sheet?” the cleric asked curiously.

“Yes. Once the Bishop sees it, he’ll understand everything.”

“Understood.”

The cleric nodded, tucked the sheet into his pack, and departed with the others toward the Holy Land.

“Once Beron sees the grades, he’ll have nothing to say.”

Via muttered, turning toward her dorm.

Along the way, students passed—no greetings.

Their stares: odd, wary.

Reason—

“…”

Via stopped at the bulletin board.

Two major notices:

1. Assessment Rankings—Via’s portrait rocketed from bottom to front page.

2. Academy Alert—Two students missing during assessment. After days of search in Evergreen outskirts, teachers found beast-gnawed corpses.

Hank and Mary.

Both Team 043. Two dead—only Via returned, with excellent.

To others: bizarre.

Rumors swirled: Via learned black magic, siphoned Hank and Mary’s luck.

“Via.”

A steady, aged voice behind her.

She turned—elderly man. “Director Nikita, good afternoon.”

“…”

Avalon’s Dean of Students—Nikita.

He studied her silently, then spoke.

“As Team 043, any comment on Hank and Mary’s disappearance?”

“Director, I reported everything to the office. Check the records,” Via explained. “I truly don’t know what happened to them after…”

“Let’s hope your luck holds.”

Nikita left with cryptic weight.

Via watched his back, mind turning.

She never reported Mary’s assassination attempt.

Reveal it? Chaos—social uproar. Sylvia’s daughter targeted: major incident. Forced leave from Avalon, under Holy Land watch.

Plus: how did she survive a trained assassin? Unexplainable.

…

Back in dorm.

Via stood at the dark entrance, flicked on the magic lamp.

Mana burned softly, illuminating.

Pink-haired girl kicked off boots, slipped into slippers.

No braided roommate on the sofa with books—ever again.

Via still felt the sting: Mary’s kindness—all fake, hatred that deep.

“Cleaned out, huh.”

Mary’s room: empty, stripped.

Given Via’s rep, no new roommate wanted in—solo now.

Good. Extra room: makeshift magic workshop.

“Next: get stronger. Don’t want a repeat of last time.”

…

…

“Lady Sophie, what troubles you?”

A holy knight’s voice snapped Sophie from thought.

“Ah… nothing.”

She refocused.

She’d been worrying about her sister. Heard Avalon held an assessment—wondered if Via passed.

With Via’s grades, failure meant likely expulsion.

Holy Land face saved Avalon from cutting her earlier—but more backdoors risked protest…

Not her main worry now.

The real threat: the transcendent beast to slay.

As a saintess candidate, she traveled with the Holy Land’s combat arm—Holy Knights—to hunt it.

“The beast is Ironblade Wolf, correct?” Sophie asked.

“Yes. This transcendent has razed towns. We must eliminate it—protect the people.”

The knight’s voice burned with resolve.

“Lady Sophie, rear support in battle—counting on you.”

“No need for thanks. It’s my duty.”

“You truly take after your mother.”

The knight’s praise carried sincere reverence.

“Seeing you reminds me—apprentice days, I followed Lady Sylvia. Witnessed her miracle—healing with holy power. Without her, I’d be dead.”

Sophie smiled outwardly, sighed inwardly.

She’d heard this too many times.

Everyone sought Mother’s shadow in her.

Sylvia saved countless—gained fervent followers, some fanatical…

Thus, Sophie bore crushing expectations.

No one cared what Sophie felt—they just wanted her to be Sylvia.

“Lady Sophie, have you considered styling yourself like Lady Sylvia—”

The knight’s suggestion cut short by a chilling shout ahead.

“All units—Ironblade Wolf—early appearance!!”