The world is awfully quiet today, huh?

I kept walking, not really thinking about anything… but of course, fate can't stand letting me have a moment of peace.

Because that lunatic, the one who wasn't even leaking a low-rank aura a second ago, suddenly detonated with a peak S-Rank presence.

I froze mid-step.

"Stay here for a moment," she said, voice suddenly sharp enough to cut stone.

"Why?" I asked, already irritated.

"Bearlo doesn't look like he'll accept it if you don't agree," she replied calmly.

I looked down at the pocket watch hanging from my trousers and, yeah… I had no time for this.

Half an hour.

That was exactly how long it would take me to reach class if I walked at my absolute top speed.

"Sorry, but I have a class to attend. Maybe we can talk about this later,"

I said, giving her the most polite excuse I could manage before trying to slip past her.

But of course, this woman had zero intention of letting me go.

"You can't go until I tell you to," the woman said firmly and a crimson aura slammed into me from every direction, locking my body in place.

It didn't hurt.

It just made it completely impossible to move.

Great.

Who the hell was this nutcase and how did she have mana control this precise?

Is she some kind of hidden master?

I couldn't wrap my head around it.

If she was this strong, then how the hell did she not sense me opening the door earlier?

On the surface she looked like a clumsy disaster… Yet she was stupidly strong.

I looked at Bearlo, who was also bound by the same aura, probably because the idiot tried to charge at her, thinking she was an enemy.

"Okay, fine. Let's chat," I sighed.

Not like I had a choice to begin with.

"Good choice." She smiled as her mana vanished within seconds.

"Be quick," I muttered, already losing patience.

Honestly, I wasn't worried about dying.

For all its cruelty, the academy at least made sure the staff didn't go around killing students.

But Azriel was different.

That bastard would absolutely throw me into the Cave of Reflections as punishment for being late… or worse, slice off my arm just to make an example.

Yeah, it would grow back afterward, sure but I would really prefer not going through that today.

That nutcase of a woman completely ignored me and turned her attention back to Bearlo.

"So, Bearlo," she said slowly, almost ceremoniously. "I am Fiona Blackholt, professor of Noxvalen Academy… and I want you to become my first ever disciple. You are far more talented than you realize."

She pointed at him like she was unveiling some ancient prophecy.

"The human martial arts you're practicing aren't suited for your body, your anatomy is closer to a demon's. So I want to teach you. If you accept, I promise I'll turn you into the strongest martial artist alive."

She paused.

"…Strongest after me, naturally."

Bearlo froze, clearly not knowing what to say and his eyes shifted to me as if I had the answer.

But honestly, I was just as stunned.

Fiona Blackholt?

Wasn't she the professor whose class I literally enrolled in…?

I hadn't seen her before when I went to sign up, she wasn't present and I was greeted by her assistant instead.

And she wasn't mentioned in the novel either… Or maybe she was some random extra I skimmed past because I definitely didn't remember anyone with that name.

"It's up to you, Bearlo." I replied calmly.

I mean, Bearlo was my assistant and my emergency meatshield if my life ever hit the fan but he wasn't my slave.

He had his own life, his own choices and whatever he wanted to do in his free time was entirely his business.

And honestly… This could be a huge opportunity for him.

His ability to copy martial arts techniques was insane but he could only copy one technique per person.

So if he could learn something powerful from her and then pick up techniques from the other martial arts students too…

Yeah. That would be extremely good for him.

Bearlo looked at me… then at her.

"Can I get strong enough to protect my liege?" he asked quietly.

Fiona's lips curved into an amused smile.

"Yes. If you become my disciple, I will make sure you grow beyond your racial limitations."

Bearlo went silent for a few seconds, then muttered softly. "I accept."

"Great choice." Fiona smiled brightly.

Bearlo simply nodded.

Meanwhile, I was barely keeping my patience together.

"Can I go now?" I asked.

"What's the rush? There's one last thing left." She said casually. "We need to sign the disciple contract and you know how that works."

I mentally cursed.

Of course.

She wanted to sign a soul contract with Bearlo, that's how most masters accepted disciples, forcing their students to swear they wouldn't leak the techniques to anyone else.

And because Bearlo was already bound to me through our familiar contract at least that's what most people thought…

I would have to sign it on his behalf.

What a pain.

In a way, this was fine, the contract would get neutralized thanks to my Myth anyway.

"Can we do this later?" I asked quickly, because at this point I was dangerously close to being late even if I sprinted.

"No. We have to do it now. What if you go back on your words later?" she said, narrowing her eyes.

"Let's just get it over with," I muttered. I wasn't in the mood or had enough time to argue anymore.

She waved her hand and a soul contract materialized instantly, which pretty much confirmed she had been stalking Bearlo for a while now.

I didn't even care.

I skimmed through the contents, pretending to check for shady clauses, not that anything would actually stick to me but I had to act normal.

A few seconds later, I was done and I channeled my mana.

The contract glowed, then burst into countless light particles that drifted toward us.

They sank into my body and Bearlo's.

And the moment it settled, I felt it. The contract was immediately nullified by my Myth, erased before it could even take hold.

The same thing would happen to Bearlo too…

Familiar contracts run through their hosts, after all.

So if mine gets wiped out instantly, his doesn't stand a chance either.

"Great." Fiona flashed another bright smile. "I'll contact you soon, my disciple."

She glanced at Bearlo once more before leaping upward, landing on a tall tree branch like some cool martial arts heroine.

She waved, turning her head slightly.

"Until next time, my disciple. And you too, rude kid."

…And then her foot slipped.

"Eep—! Ahh!"

Her whole body dropped off the branch and crashed straight into the ground with a loud thud, sending up a cloud of dust.

I knew I was running late.

I knew it.

"....."

But I couldn't move. I just stood there staring at this walking disaster. Bearlo didn't move either, frozen as he watched his new master self-destruct.

Within seconds, Fiona jumped back to her feet like nothing happened.

"T-that… was the first move of a new technique I am developing," she declared confidently, pointing at herself…

… and then vanished into thin air.

What the hell was that?

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