The duel between me and Arden had ended, and the tense rivalry between the students of Braveheart Knight Academy and Solara Magic Academy seemed to ease, at least for the moment. The sharp gazes from the magic students softened, but it was clear the tension wasn't gone entirely—it had merely shifted into a more subdued rivalry.
With classes resuming today, there wasn't much time to dwell on the duel. However, Amelia approached me with a serious look. "I felt Dark Magic outside the arena," she said, her voice low enough that only I could hear. "It felt like it belonged to the Shadows."
My heart sank. If her intuition was correct, it confirmed my suspicion: Arsene had intentionally sent us here to uncover the culprits behind the Shadows' movements and the recent spate of student abductions.
