Chapter 255
Chapter 255: Have You Eaten?
Tens of thousands of people were held at bay outside the Academy, anxious and restless.
Yet the Lecture Hall inside the Academy was far from its usual quiet.
A constellation of phantom images floated in the air, scattered with countless distinct scenes.
Each one represented a student.
Whenever those vivid, multicolored nebula images slowly dimmed into dark and lightless screens—it meant those students had voluntarily withdrawn from the examination, and they would be teleported out of the Academy.
A large gathering of Professors and Lecturers had assembled together, watching the students' movements with focused, methodical attention.
The scoring sheets in their hands were filling up with name after name.
Principal Rashel stroked his beard as well, surveying the countless images, and whenever he spotted students performing particularly well, he broke into a cheerful laugh.
Countless parents were equally tense, watching their respective children's varying performances inside the Dungeon space.
At that moment, Principal Rashel caught a movement at the entrance and his gaze drifted over:
"It seems the Academy has an honored guest."
He turned around and looked at Livi—who had entered at some point without anyone noticing.
"Welcome back, Duke."
"And,"
Here, Rashel's gaze shifted to Vladimir.
"Our battle-hardened old General."
Vladimir looked at Rashel, crossed his arms, and broke into a hearty laugh:
"Principal Rashel's eye for people hasn't dimmed one bit over the years."
While the Principal chatted with the 2 of them, the others began noticing Vladimir as well.
From this powerfully built old man, they felt an extraordinarily formidable force.
It was a terrifying power—one where Magic Power and raw physical presence were woven completely together.
Livi stepped forward and said with a smile to Rashel:
"We came back in a rush and showed up uninvited. Please don't hold it against us, Principal."
Rashel stroked his beard and said slowly:
"I'm just a pile of old bones—there's nothing to hold against anyone."
"But you."
His gaze landed on Livi, and he looked him up and down. A faint flicker of surprise appeared in his eyes. He chuckled:
"It looks like you've come back with something good."
Livi gave a small shrug and turned to look at Erika.
Erika, who had just entered the Academy, was walking around the entire Lecture Hall with great curiosity, looking back and forth at those nebula-like images.
Each of those images was a different nebula with its own distinct scene—and she found them utterly fascinating.
Livi's gaze softened a little at the sight of Erika. He gathered himself and turned back to the Principal with a question:
"Where is Count Viktor? Hasn't he come in this morning?"
"Hoh hoh, I can't get him to come for anything."
The Principal blew at his mustache, a hint of amusement in his eyes.
"If you've got business with him, you might as well wait here a while."
"You may even run into someone you'd never expect."
Hearing Rashel say that, Livi gave a nod.
At that moment, the Principal turned back to Vladimir:
"As for you, General—feel free to wander around as you like."
"Perhaps you'd like to try it for yourself. That is the training ground Professor Viktor left behind."
He pointed his walking staff toward the mirror in the corner of the Lecture Hall.
The tall mirror had its eyes firmly shut, and a strange, unsettling danger crept slowly from within.
"It's harmless, though."
Vladimir raised an eyebrow:
"Now that's interesting."
He rolled up his sleeve, cracked his knuckles, strode up to the mirror, and reached out to touch the mirror's surface.
The next second, he felt a powerful suction pulling at his entire body.
Before he could even react, he was already being drawn into the Magic Mirror.
***
In that dreamlike star-scattered space, Livi wandered around aimlessly.
Vivid multicolored images drifted like floating ice across the surface of an ocean, rotating endlessly.
Some were slowly dimming, like the last glow of a setting sun.
At that moment, he noticed a large crowd of people—almost all gathered in one place, clustered around a brilliantly starlit section of space.
They were staring intently up at one enormous image.
Livi drifted over as well, almost without thinking.
When he recognized the student in the image, he paused—and a faint tension entered his eyes.
It was Auréliane.
Those gathered before the image were exclaiming in amazement:
"Isn't this Princess's Highness's 30th attempt?"
"The willpower is incredible... and she's the furthest along of anyone."
"Well, Her Highness the Princess is Count Viktor's student, after all..."
"Really, the Top-Ranked Freshman this year has to be her—no question."
Hearing the praise from the crowd, Livi fixed his gaze on the bubble-like mirror image.
Auréliane was standing on a small island, her Longsword held level before her, the shapes of several Magical Creatures reflected in its blade.
Creatures with frail bodies topped by mole-like heads raised sharp claws, pressing in around Auréliane from all sides—poised to strike.
At that moment, Livi saw it clearly.
Auréliane was shielding a woman behind her back, eyes sharp and alert as she watched the largest and most powerful of the mole creatures.
According to information the Academy had made public, this new student examination consisted of 10 missions in total.
If a new student completed all of them, they would earn a perfect score on the examination.
And inside this town, Auréliane had already completed 9 missions.
She was now challenging the final Commission event.
It was a rescue-type mission.
Auréliane had to ensure that the woman behind her would not be injured—and would not die.
Under that condition, she had to face an endless swarm of mole creatures and take down the most powerful mole-creature Boss among them.
Auréliane was pushing herself again and again through this last mission in pursuit of a perfect score.
Livi's eyes went wide as he watched Auréliane, fighting and fighting against the mole creatures, suddenly leave an opening—and then a Magical Creature seized the gap and cut her clean through the midsection.
All at once, the entire image flashed—and Auréliane felt herself entering a crackling blue storm filled with lightning again.
The moment her feet touched the ground and the storm cleared, she looked down and found her body was completely restored.
The entire bubble image had reset to the small island, and Auréliane readied herself again to face the mole creatures.
Looking at the scene before him, Livi felt a faint tremor run through him.
She revived? Or was time reversed?
But the onlookers around him seemed entirely unsurprised—as if this were old news.
That final Magical Creature was exceptionally powerful.
Auréliane had been at this for 30 attempts.
Seeing all of this, Livi finally understood.
Just how extraordinary the Dungeon Viktor had created really was.
For the students, this was nothing short of an ideal live-combat training opportunity.
In this special Dungeon, they could fight powerful enemies without the slightest concern for their bodies.
Each time, they could draw experience from the battle and summon the courage to face those fearsome Magical Creatures again.
But before Livi could process the thought any further, a familiar voice suddenly sounded beside him:
"Livi?"
Livi turned at the sound.
When he saw who it was, his mind went blank with a buzz—and he stood rooted to the spot.
Like he had just seen someone who had no business being here.
It was the Empress, Claudia.
What had happened while he was away for 2 months?
How was it that even this Elder Empress had returned?
A glimmer of quiet amusement rose in Claudia's eyes, and she said with a warm smile: "You look very surprised."
Livi answered without any pretense: "I truly didn't expect it, Empress Claudia."
"If I may ask—what brings you here?"
"You've just returned, so you likely haven't gone to find Aubrey yet."
Claudia didn't answer directly. Instead, she turned to look at the image showing Auréliane continuing her challenge.
Her eyes carried a soft warmth—rippling gently, like spring water.
Livi paused, then looked at Claudia again, trying to find an answer in her gaze.
Claudia smiled and said:
"As a father yourself, surely you understand the need to keep an eye on your child?"
Livi showed a flicker of surprise, then looked at Claudia and said calmly:
"But she isn't your child."
"Is that a problem?"
Claudia turned her head and looked at Livi.
Seeing this, Livi said nothing more.
If she was able to be here, the Emperor Aubrey had naturally given his tacit approval.
"I hope you'll stay true to what you said today."
Claudia said to Livi, arms folded across her chest.
"There's no need for your concern on that."
"Duke."
The 2 of them talked for some time—but it wasn't the warm reunion of old acquaintances. Instead, they parted on less than cordial terms.
Just as Livi turned to leave, the respectful voices of those around him rang out:
"Professor Viktor."
"Good morning, Professor Viktor."
"Professor Viktor, you're here so early today."
"Professor Viktor, have you eaten?"
Alongside the voices, Viktor had appeared—no one quite knew when.
His hands were tucked in his pockets, and the Coat on his body caught the light of the scattered nebula images all around, shimmering as brilliantly as starlight.
Even the Crow perched on his shoulder had a few extra shades of luster in its feathers.
He paid the others little mind and walked directly toward Erika.
When Erika saw Viktor approaching, her expression shifted into something brighter and more delighted.
"Professor..."
She reached out a hand to greet Viktor—and very quickly, Viktor was standing right in front of her.
This made Erika freeze on the spot. She looked at Viktor, her body going faintly stiff, unsure how to respond.
"Pro... Professor."
"My father, he's... still nearby..."
"I know."
At that moment, Livi happened to turn his head back—and saw Viktor, standing right in front of his daughter.
He did have things he'd wanted to talk to Viktor about, but seeing Viktor approach Erika, he couldn't help but furrow his brow.
He was just about to step forward and put some distance between Viktor and his daughter.
But then, the very next second, his eyes went wide.
He watched Viktor reach out an arm—broad shoulders enveloping Erika's frame—and pull her into his embrace in one motion.
"Eh...?"
Her face pressed against Professor Viktor's chest, Erika's cheeks turned instantly flushed.
Her eyes grew hazy without her meaning to, and her mind seemed to go partially blank.
The only thought left in her entire head was—
The Professor's embrace...
Is so warm.
"Don't move."
Through the haze, all she could hear was Viktor's voice, slowly sounding in her ear.
"Right now, I need you."