The group didn't appear friendly. Their gazes were red with anger. Correal didn't dare look into Henry's eyes after the prior humiliation.
Henry's question made them feel like they were annoying mosquitos, causing their hearts to feel more indignance toward him. In their eyes, they solely defended Judy.
So, why were they so unfairly treated?
"I'm sorry."
Correal said with no emotion. His eyes were looking at Henry's feet.
"…"
Henry looked around and saw Judy sneakily watching from behind a tree. It was even the same tree she had hidden from before.
(She's making them apologize.)
Henry could not understand why she was doing this.
"Okay."
"W-what?"
For the first time, Correal looked up. The two women and the five men behind him raised an eyebrow.
They were already prepared to attack Henry together if he denied his apology. It was not in their expectations that he would accept it so easily.
"Go. You're not in my priorities." Henry waved them away.
Correal finally realized something. Within Henry's eyes, he was nothing. He didn't look at him with disdain or even with anger.
There was nothing when he looked at him. For Henry, there was no difference between him and the ground.
He was something he could easily step on!
Correal moved out of the way. His heart blazed with fury.
Henry walked through the group and didn't look at them.
Felicia felt a bit scared seeing the tension from the eight people. She could feel the intense hatred coming from Correal.
Henry stopped a few steps away from the group.
"The world is big. You should do something else."
Henry didn't look back and left with Felicia.
His words shook Correal and his group. It was like a hammer. The rage they felt crumpled into depression under its might.
Henry viewed the world highly. In his eyes, Correal was just an ant trying to bite him. He endured it and punished him each time he did.
Judy had seen everything.
Henry stopped near the tree and asked, "Judy, why?"
"You will represent the academy in the future. Making him apologize does him a favor."
"Mm. I can't guarantee his safety once I reach a higher class, and if he does that outside the academy…"
Henry's words served as a warning. Like a cat, he needed to lay low and hide his claws until the time was right.
"I know…"
Judy was not an innocent woman. She understood the rules of the world. She knew Henry had the capability to dispose of Correal if he wanted to.
After warning her, Henry walked away with Felicia.
He found this event to be a little distracting, but he didn't think much of it.
Meanwhile, the day was not over yet for the academy.
The news of Henry walking straight through Correal's group spread like wildfire. His courage and indomitable confidence struck awe in the minds of the students.
They completely ignored Correal's apology because Henry's response was something no one would ever expect from a fellow student.
It seemed simple, but who would walk straight through their enemy's group except those who had the ability?
Those students of a high magus class couldn't help but pay more attention to him. At this moment, Henry was the star of the academy.
…
The next day arrived.
This time, there was a commotion at the podium.
Judy wasn't there. It was Conrad. He arrived early and handed out bags to students.
Henry and Felicia fell in line. After a few minutes, they got their own bags and opened it.
Inside were fifteen high-quality mana crystals— the monthly quota for each student.
It was a costly resource outside. The ones Henry and Felicia worked for in the mines were only of low quality.
This one was a step up and contained purer mana that was easier to absorb and use. It wasn't as good as the mana nectar, but it was still something, especially for these students who had no right to use mana nectar.
"Hmm… These are good."
Henry took one out and grasped it in his hand. It slowly melted and the mana entered his skin before collecting in his heart.
A fine black powder was left behind in his palm.
Once he gained the Pure Mortal Body, it would be harder for impurities to reenter his body. However, it was still possible to lose the effects after a certain threshold of impurities.
At that time, he would need to cleanse his body again with mana nectar, and it would require more because he would have more mana within his body.
Felicia's eyes lit up after seeing Henry absorb the mana crystal. She was excited to advance a class.
"Let's go back to the apartment first."
Henry wanted to say something to her, but this place was unsuitable.
…
"Felicia, you're treading on the path I walked in the past. A few days ago, I changed mine. I'm now walking on a new path that I own. You have to remember not to let anyone else know about it."
Henry was worried about her. She might get careless due to her excitement and give clues to others.
"Why can't I walk on your new path, Master?"
Felicia was surprised that Henry changed his magus path. It meant he was using a different magic system than hers.
"They use an incomplete magic system now, and I combined it with the past one. The problem is that you might die if you switch now."
Henry wouldn't be able to bear it if she died because of such a thing. Thus, he hid it from her before.
"I want to try."
Felicia saw another opportunity and wanted to take it.
"No. I have taught you a lot about mana, but you're still incapable of it. You will most definitely suffer a heart attack and die."
Henry shook his head. As her master, he knew her understanding of mana more than she did.
He was sure that once the liquid mana reached her heart, she would not be able to take it because she would suffer a strong backlash.
"I understand, Master."
Felicia accepted it. She already gained more than she could have imagined in the past.
And through her understanding, she knew that this path was still a good one.