Chapter 88: All Is Forgiven
The students of Awakener Supreme watched almost reverently as the 21 vanguard walked down the corridors of the main campus. They saw them enter the elevators, knowing where they were going.
The Academy’s legendary vault.
Every Awakener knew about the Academy Equipment Store on the upper levels. It was essentially a mid to high-end armory where students spent their Profits on enchanted blades, armors, artifacts or even Magical Supplements.
But the Academy Vault was a different beast entirely. It was a myth to most students, even the ones in higher years, a sealed treasury strictly reserved for special occasions, high-tier rewards, or emergencies of catastrophic proportions.
The quality of equipment kept there were mostly things of legends. Even some molded by the Blacksmiths during the Era of Rebirth, and some even before that.
Everyone was envious of the vanguard. Though not many were willing to take on the risk that allowed the vanguard the privilege of entering the Academy’s Vault.
A series of elevators hummed with magical energy, taking turns ferrying the twenty-one members of the vanguard down to the lowest subterranean level.
Each time the grates slid open, half a dozen students stepped out into a softly lit corridor carved like a tunnel.
The only path was forward so the vanguard walked down the corridor until they found a large, circular door forged from black steel at the end of their small treasure.
Seeing the door of the vault, the students couldn’t help but get excited.
"I can’t believe we’re actually being allowed in here," Frieda Castleloft whispered furiously, squeezing her hands into fists and shaking them excitedly.
"I didn’t even think First Years could legally breathe the air down here," Renan said, calmly close by her as she relied on him as an anchor.
They stopped in front of the door. There was a man there, just by the side, initially standing so still Lancet had mistaken him for a statue.
He introduced himself as Willon, the official in charge of the Academy Vault. He held a crystal data-pad and scanned the twenty-one Awakeners, matching their faces with the faces on his screen.
Then he continued.
"Welcome to the lowest floor of the Awakener Supreme Institute. In your Student Cards, which also act as your digital debit ledgers, you have all been allocated a temporary amount of Profits authorized by the Dean and the Head of Combat."
He tapped his crystal pad, transferring the data. Several students immediately pulled out their cards, their eyes widening at the massive sums now glowing on their digital balances.
Lancet looked at his card.
[ Profit Balance : 250,000P ]
He smiled, remembering the exact details of this financial breakdown from the original novel.
In that timeline, Renan had received the highest stipend among the First Years at a staggering 200,000P. The narrative had deliberately compared it to Frieda’s 50,000P and Amira’s 70,000P just to highlight how immensely the Academy valued the Heavenly Knight’s potential.
This meant Professor Wolfgar had kept his word. Even better than Lancet expected.
"These Profits are to be spent only here," the Official warned strictly. "They are temporary stipends meant to ensure you are fully equipped for Hebthej. The moment you step back out through this door, any unspent emergency Profits will completely vanish from your accounts."
He gestured to the heavy door behind him. "Inside, you will find the Main Section. However, a select few of you have also been granted access to the Grand Section. If you have not been explicitly authorized for the Grand Section, please remain in the Main Section. Are there any questions?"
Cassian Roa, a Second-Year Wind Mage, raised his hand slightly. "Sir? The equipment we purchase in there... is it permanently owned by us? Even after the raid?"
"Yes. The equipment is yours to keep," the Official answered flatly.
Cassian and a few others celebrated.
The Official stepped to the side, pressing his palm against a glowing biometric panel on the wall. "If there are no further questions... Thank you, and welcome to the Academy Vault."
Beneath the students’ feet, they felt the ground tremor. The circular door let out a hiss of depressurized air, and the steel gears groaning as they began to turn.
Slowly, the massive door rotated and pulled inward, splitting down the middle and sliding apart to reveal the treasury.
Brilliant, multi-colored light spilled out into the corridor. The students all stared in awe.
None of them had ever been here so they didn’t really know what to expect. But, the Academy Vault was truly breathtaking.
Mainly built with marble, the place glowed at every corner. Golden shelves hung on the walls, displaying various items, and below the shelves were mannequins dressed in the most immaculate, high-tier armor available in Aethelgard.
Weapons of every shape and size were suspended in stasis fields, crackling with raw elemental energy. There were shelves lined with vials of concentrated elixirs that glowed like captured stars, and grimoires bound in scales and shining irons.
Vernon Heavenblum was the first to step inside, his cape flowing behind him with hands proudly in his pockets. After he did, the initial shock wore off others and the vanguard slowly entered the vault scattering into the Main Section.
Jaxen Ironhold immediately gravitated toward an armor set made from titan-steel. Silas Mercer, the Rune Carver, sprinted toward a display of ethereal chisels. Everyone started to buy what they needed for the battle. And if Profits remained, they planned to buy some other useful items.
Lancet stepped into the Vault, his eyes calmly sweeping over the dazzling displays. He walked right past a rack of beautiful, enchanted broadswords that would have cost a normal Awakener five months of standard Profits.
He didn’t need them.
Instead, he kept his eyes fixed on the back of the chamber, where a shimmering, golden energy curtain separated the Main Section from the fabled Grand Section.
Vernon Heavenblum walked straight through the golden curtain without breaking stride, arrogance in every step. Valeria Bloodgood followed closely behind him, and a moment later, Renan Falconhart joined.
Lancet slipped his hands into his pockets and followed their path, leaving the other students behind him.
He was just a few feet away from the shimmering curtain when a hand clamped down hard on his shoulder.
"What do you think you’re doing?"
Lancet paused and turned. The Official had followed him inside and was glaring down at him with eyes bearing annoyance and disbelief.
"Didn’t you hear my instructions outside?" the Official demanded, keeping his hand firmly on Lancet’s shoulder to physically block him from the threshold. "If you are not given authorization, you cannot enter the Grand Section. Turn around and join your peers."
"Yeah, I heard that," Lancet said easily, his voice smooth and entirely unbothered. "Which is why I’m going in. I was given authorization."
"You?" The Official scoffed, giving Lancet a blatantly dismissive once-over. "The only Year One student who was authorized to enter the Grand Section is Renan Falconhart."
Lancet smirked. He smoothly pulled his Student Card from his pocket, swirling it expertly between his fingers before holding it out.
"Well," he challenged softly. "Why don’t you check again."
The Official glared at him for a moment, then grudgingly, he snatched the card, a thunderous expression on his face. He pulled a small, silver scanning device from his belt and swiped Lancet’s card through it.
The scanner beeped wildly, flashing an undeniable emerald light. The screen lit up with Wolfgar Windviper’s digital signature, giving Lancet access into the Grand Section.
The Official froze. The anger instantly drained from his face, leaving behind stuttering shock. His eyes widened, darting from the screen to Lancet, and back to the screen again.
"I... I didn’t know," the Official stammered, his grip falling away from Lancet’s shoulder as if the boy had suddenly caught fire. He looked completely bewildered. "This... it must have been a last-minute addition from the Head of Combat. I apologize."
He handed the card back, his hands trembling slightly.
Lancet took the card, slipping it back into his pocket. He flashed the dumbfounded Official a playful wink.
"All is forgiven."
Lancet proudly turned and stepped seamlessly through the golden curtain, disappearing into the Grand Section.