The bright sunlight from outside poured through the tall arched windows of the academy's hallway, casting golden streaks across the polished marble floor. The sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor.... heavy but controlled.

Professor Galahad strode quickly, his black coat fluttering behind him, his arms carefully holding Dila against his chest. Her hair.... silver-white and faintly shimmering under the light.... was stained with dried blood. Her uniform was crumpled, her face pale, her lips slightly parted as she breathed faintly.

"Out of the way," Galahad said firmly, his voice calm but sharp like a blade. His eyes—usually warm—were focused and grim.

Students along the hall, from various class divisions—knights, scholars, healers—paused mid-conversation. A hush fell immediately. They moved aside, parting the hallway like water flowing around a rock. Some gasped quietly; others whispered among themselves.

"Is that.... the High Princess?"

"She's hurt.... what happened?"

"I heard something exploded at the forest training field—"

"Professor Galahad looks furious...."

Their murmurs mixed with the clicking sound of Galahad's boots against the floor. His pace never slowed.

The Noon air that flowed through the open windows carried a faint scent of ink and parchment from the classrooms.... but also the faint metallic tang of blood from Dila's mouth.

As he turned the corner near the inner garden corridor, Fran was there—standing among a group of students. Her long navy-blue hair swayed gently as she stepped aside like the others.... but when she saw who the professor carried, her bright blue eyes widened in shock.

"...No...."

Her voice was small, trembling, almost swallowed by the echo of footsteps. Her cat ears lowered, twitching with distress as her hands clenched the fabric of her uniform. The usually playful spark in her expression vanished, replaced by fear and worry.

The professor passed right in front of her, the air shifting with his hurried motion. She could see Dila's hand limp at her side, faint traces of blood trailing across her sleeve.

Fran's throat tightened. She whispered under her breath, barely holding her composure, "Sister Dila.... what happened to you...."

Her heart pounded painfully in her chest as she turned, watching Galahad continue down the hallway, his figure growing smaller with each step. The sunlight caught briefly on Dila's silver hair before the two disappeared around the corner toward the infirmary.

The hallway fell into silence again. Only the distant murmur of students lingered.... mixed with Fran's soft, breaking voice as she whispered again to herself, "Please be okay...."

Fran's breath trembled as she stared at the spot where the professor had disappeared with Dila. Her hands were shaking, her chest tightening with panic. Before she could even think, her body moved on its own.... she raised her hand slightly, ready to run after them.

But just as her foot stepped forward, someone caught her wrist.

"Fran-wait," a calm voice said.

She spun around sharply, her tail twitching in frustration. It was Jade, his emerald-green eyes steady yet concerned. His hand gently gripped her wrist, though his expression showed confusion rather than anger.

"What is happening?" he asked.

Fran's breath hitched. Her ears flattened back as emotion flared in her face—fear, anger, and disbelief all tangled together.

"What do you mean what is happening?" she snapped, her voice cracking with emotion. "Can't you see?! My sister is hurt!" Her words trembled as her blue eyes glistened, reflecting both the sunlight from the tall windows and the panic storming in her heart.

She tried to pull away, but Jade's hand hesitated for just a moment longer, his lips parting as if to say something—then he saw her trembling. The tightness in his face softened. Without a word, he released her wrist.

Fran didn't waste a second. She bolted forward, her sandals hitting the marble floor with sharp echoes, her long navy hair fluttering behind her like a trailing shadow. Her heartbeat roared in her ears, each step filled with worry and desperation.

Jade stood frozen for a heartbeat, watching her run.... then clenched his jaw and followed. His capelet flowed behind him as he ran after Fran, his calm composure replaced by urgency.

The two of them raced down the corridor together. The faint chatter of confused students faded behind them as the sunlight streaked across the floor. Fran's voice carried faintly through the hallway, cracking with emotion as she muttered to herself, "Sister.... please, hang on...."

And beside her, Jade kept pace—silent but determined his emerald eyes burning with the same unspoken worry.

The sunlight in Twilight Academy garden shimmered faintly through the glass window where Zeon stood, his mask reflecting the golden hue of dusk. The gentle rustle of wind brushed past the marble leaves of the fountain statue beside him, but his eyes were now fixed on the magic mirror glass he hold in front of him—a communication mirror, glowing faintly with blue runic light.

His reflection flickered within it until a voice answered from the other side—deep, cold, and commanding.

"What do you mean, bad news?" the voice of King Albedo rumbled, echoing through his throne room like thunder from a storm about to break.

Zeon's crimson eyes narrowed slightly. His tone stayed calm, measured, yet there was heaviness in it. "My lord.... your daughter.... has been badly injured."

There was silence at first—only the faint hum of magic between them. Then the calm shattered.

From the other side, the sound of stone cracking thundered. Albedo's fist smashed down upon the marble table, the impact shaking the crystal stands beside his throne. Shards of marble scattered to the floor as he rose abruptly, his long white hair flicking behind him, his blue eyes burning with fury.

"Injured?!" he roared, his voice shaking the chamber. "How?! What happened to her, Zeon?! Speak clearly!"

Zeon closed his eyes briefly, steadying himself before answering. "It appears to be a self-inflicted wound, my lord.... at least, that's what it looked like."

"What nonsense are you saying!?" Albedo snapped, his voice echoing against the cold stone walls of the throne hall. The glowing crystal pillars around him pulsed faintly in response to his rage.

Zeon's voice stayed calm, but his tone carried a hidden unease. "When she was training.... at the Twilight Academy's forest clearing, there was an uncontrolled surge inside her body. A power spike unlike anything I've seen from an elf before. Her professor, the one named Galahad, intervened and managed to stabilize her. But...."

He hesitated slightly.

"But what?" Albedo's tone darkened.

Zeon exhaled. "But the magic inside her.... vanished afterward. Gone. Completely. It's as if something drained her dry, then erupted.... and burned itself out. I don't know if the professor caused it, or if he's the reason she's still alive. But her body could not handle that much power, my lord."

The glass rippled faintly, catching the reflection of Albedo's face. His expression twisted—not just in rage, but in something deeper. Worry.

He raised his hand slowly, pressing two fingers to his beard as his sharp gaze sank into the floor. His long white robes brushed the steps as he lowered his head slightly, lost in grim thought.

"So.... she awakened some kind of unknown power?," he murmured under his breath. "Hmmm No.... not that."

The air around him trembled faintly with suppressed mana, and even from the distance, Zeon could feel it through the mirror—the chilling aura of a king whose anger was mixed with something else. Fear.

Zeon's eyes shifted downward. "My lord.... shall I retrieve her?"

Albedo didn't answer right away. His fingers tightened slightly against his beard as he stared toward the distant horizon beyond his throne's window—toward the human lands where his daughter now lay unconscious.

Finally, he whispered, voice like frost. "No.... not yet. Watch her. If that power awakens again.... till me again because i will keep an eye on her."

The mirror flickered once.... then went dark.

Zeon lowered his hand slowly, his reflection fading into the glass. The garden around him was silent except for the faint rustle of leaves.

He sighed softly beneath his mask. "I hope This.... end well."

Then.... his form blurred.

The ground beneath his feet cracked slightly as a sharp burst of pressure erupted around him. His silhouette twisted—like a dark ribbon dissolving in the wind. Shadows stretched outward, swallowing his form whole.

In the blink of an eye.... he was gone.

Only a faint afterimage remained, a smoky outline that rippled once before fading completely. The air trembled softly where he once stood, the faint whisper of mana echoing through the garden like a sigh.

Leaves scattered in his wake, rustling against the marble path.... and then the place returned to stillness, as if he had never been there at all.

Meanwhile...

Outside the special infirmary was quiet, lit only by the soft blue glow of healing lamps that floated above each side of the door. The air smelled faintly of herbs and sterilized mana crystals... cool and calming, yet heavy with the tension of worry.

Professor Galahad entered with slow, careful steps, his eyes locked on the unconscious girl resting in his arms. Dila's pale face looked almost fragile under the flickering light, her silver-white hair damp with sweat. Her breathing was shallow... faint tremors running through her fingers, still reacting from the residual mana burn.

The moment he stepped closer, the magic doctor—a woman in a long white robe threaded with silver veins of enchantment—quickly approached. Her voice was calm, gentle, yet carried the authority of someone who had seen countless magical injuries.

"Lay her here, Professor," she said softly, gesturing to the sterile bed glowing faintly with healing runes. With delicate care, she placed a hand above Dila's forehead, and a light shimmered between her fingers as she checked the mana flow through Dila's body.

"I hope she's okay…" Professor Galahad murmured, his voice roughened by guilt. His usually composed expression faltered, a rare crack in his firm demeanor.

The doctor's brows furrowed slightly. "What mostly happened to the Princess, Professor?"

He hesitated for a moment, watching the girl he had sworn to protect. "Yes It appears she's been inflicted with mana poisoning and… mana overload, but it's more than that this run's deep that can't be explain like some kind of unnatural phenomenon." he answered slowly, his tone heavy with regret. "But she's stable now. All she needs is a special herb remedy and proper rest. After that… she should be able to recover."

The doctor nodded, her expression thoughtful. "Maybe… but I'll still run a deeper diagnosis. Her mana flow feels strange it's like it was built in some kind of different magic circuits altogether unique from her. Almost as if something inside her resisted when I placed my hand in her forehead maybe this kind of case treatment is hard afterall."

Galahad has concerns on what the doctor says while his face is a bit itche of worry.

Professor Galahad looked at her one last time. The healing light reflected softly in his tired eyes as he gave a faint nod. "Do what you must… I trust your judgment."

He turned and walked toward the door, his footsteps echoing quietly against the marble floor. The sound of healing magic hummed behind him... a faint, rhythmic pulse that filled the silence of the infirmary. As the door closed gently behind him, the doctor leaned over Dila once more, her magic was unknown emergence or not.

Outside, the professor paused for a moment. The corridor was dim, lined with flickering lamps and the faint scent of rain drifting from the open window. He glanced back once... the image of the frail princess lying motionless burned into his mind.

"…Please be alright," he whispered to himself before walking away down the empty hall.

The soft scent of sterilized mana herbs drifted from the remnants of open door a moment ago. The air was thick with quiet tension... only the sound of hurried footsteps broke through it.

Fran was the first to appear from the corner, her navy-blue hair fluttering behind her like a ribbon, her cat ears twitching as she ran. "Hurry, Jade!" she called out, her voice slightly trembling but filled with urgency.

"I'm... trying… you're too fast, Fran!" Jade panted as he followed, his gloved hand brushing against the wall for balance. His breaths came sharp and heavy, his neatly kept Twilight Academy uniform now slightly wrinkled from the sprint.

Professor Galahad stood near the infirmary door, his hand resting against it as if debating whether to go back in. When he looked up, his eyes softened—seeing the two figures rushing toward him through the dim corridor.

Fran skidded to a stop, her sandals tapping against the marble floor. Her eyes widened the instant she saw the professor... then flicked toward the closed door behind him. "Professor...!" she breathed out, her tail flicking anxiously.

Jade bent slightly forward, hands on his knees, gasping for air. Between heavy breaths, he forced out a shaky laugh. "Professor... Galahad Turing... it's... haaaa... nice to... haaaa... meet you... the famous mage professor," he managed to say, still catching his breath.

The professor gave a small, almost tired smile at the sight of the prince's effort. His voice was calm but faintly heavy. "You two came fast... I take it you've heard?"

Fran nodded quickly, her expression tense. "No.. i see you running carrying her professor..." she hesitated, her voice softening, "you're the mister teacher of my sister?"

Professor Galahad blinked, his gaze shifting slightly at her words. "Your sister?" he repeated, a faint confusion in his tone. Something didn't add up.

Before the silence could linger, Jade straightened up and spoke, still a little winded but with a warm, respectful tone. "Yeah... they're sisters. She's Fran Eldoria."

At that name, something flickered in the professor's eyes. His shoulders eased slightly... but his face dimmed with quiet sorrow. He gave a small nod. "I see... Eldoria..." he murmured softly.

For a moment, the corridor grew silent again. Only the faint hum of magic crystals could be heard from inside the infirmary. The professor's gaze drifted to the door, his expression shadowed with guilt.

Fran lowered her head slightly, her ears drooping as she whispered, "She's... inside, right?"

The professor only nodded once, slowly. "Yes... but she'll need time," he said quietly. "A lot of rest... and care."

The soft healing light from the corridor brushed across their faces... revealing the quiet worry etched in each of them. The three stood there for a long moment, the silence heavy but understanding. Behind that door lay the fragile heartbeat of someone they all cared about.

Fran stood there, her chest rising and falling, trying to calm her breathing. Her eyes were wide, still filled with worry. She finally looked up at Professor Galahad, her voice trembling slightly at first but steadying as she spoke again.

"Professor... what happened to my sister?" she asked, her tone serious but fragile. "When I was in the middle of the Assassin Class... from outside the forest too, I saw it. A massive blue dragon formed in the sky and exploded... it was... huge." Her voice lowered, her eyes glimmering as she remembered the blinding light. "It was strong... terrifyingly strong... I could feel it from that far away."

She looked up again, her brows tightening. "That magic... I know it. It was my sister's. Don't tell me... you made her angry, professor?"

Professor Galahad didn't flinch, but there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. He looked at Fran for a long moment, then exhaled slowly. "No, Fran..." he said gently, his tone soft, as though speaking to calm her heart. "It wasn't anger."

The corridor was silent except for his calm, low voice. "It was something else... something unknown. A sudden impulse... like a combustion of mana that came out of nowhere. I can't explain it. It wasn't natural." He paused, his eyes lowering as if the memory itself weighed on him. "At the start of the class, she had no magic at all. She couldn't even summon a basic invisible aura in her body. So... I shared a little of my own mana, just enough to stabilize her core. But..."

He looked toward the door again, his voice fading to a regretful whisper. "But something is wrong maybe my magic reacted... violently inside her body. That surge wasn't normal."

Fran stayed quiet, her fists clenching softly against her chest. Her cat ears drooped slightly as her tail fell low, showing the mix of fear and sadness running through her. The worry in her eyes only deepened as she stared at the infirmary door.

Jade stood beside her, silent, still listening closely. His green eyes reflected the dim hallway light, his expression calm but thoughtful. He didn't interrupt... he could feel the weight in both their voices.

The professor finally looked back at them, his tone steady but low. "Whatever it was... it came from deep inside her. Something powerful... and old. I'll make sure she recovers, Fran. I promise."

The faint sound of wind brushed through the corridor's tall windows... carrying with it a quiet sense of unease. The kind that whispered... that this was only the beginning.

Fran's tail twitched slightly as she looked down, her voice soft but clear.

"You know what, Professor..." she said slowly, lifting her gaze to meet his. "Actually... my sister did have magical power. A strong one too."

Professor Galahad blinked, his brows furrowing as Fran continued, her tone shifting between pride and sorrow.

"When I first met her... she wasn't like this. Even if her magic was for support, it was terrifyingly powerful. She could summon golems... not just ordinary ones but advanced types. Some even had elemental cores." Her eyes glimmered faintly at the memory, her tone growing softer. "She could buff others too... to their fullest potential she tried it on me. I've seen her magic lift an entire squad's of Golems strengthening in seconds."

The professor's expression grew still, his eyes narrowing slightly with disbelief as Fran kept going.

"There was one time..." she continued, her voice trembling slightly as she recalled it. "When my sister fought her father. The King of Eldor... Albedo."

Both Professor Galahad and Jade froze. The sound of the name struck them like lightning.

Fran swallowed, her tone low but firm. "Even with Sir Zeon's help... her Father still almost lost. Dila's power overwhelmed them both."

The hallway went quiet. Only the faint flicker of the mana lamps broke the stillness.

Then, almost at the same instant, both Professor Galahad and Jade spoke, their voices overlapping in shock.

"You mean..." Galahad's tone shook.

"She almost beat the stuffing out of the strongest..." Jade finished.

"King Albedo... and the Hero Zeon... of Eldor Kingdom!?" they said together, their disbelief echoing faintly down the corridor.

Fran flinched slightly at their reaction, her cat ears twitching. She looked back at Jade, startled by how stunned he looked, then back at Galahad, whose eyes had widened as if he had just uncovered a buried truth.

"Y... yes," Fran said softly, nodding. Her expression turned serious, her voice trembling as she spoke. "That's the sister I know."

A moment passed... then both Galahad and Jade, again in unison, spoke almost breathlessly.

"Then... what happened to her magic?"

Their voices carried genuine confusion and worry, as if trying to make sense of something that shouldn't be possible.

Fran didn't answer right away. Her lips parted slightly, but no words came out. Her eyes drifted toward the infirmary door... where Dila lay beyond, unconscious and bloodied.

The faint light reflecting off the door handle shimmered across Fran's face. Her eyes softened, filled with something unspoken... a memory she wasn't ready to share.

The silence stretched... only broken by the low, distant wind brushing against the academy windows.

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