After Isabella finished speaking, her breathing suddenly weakened, as fragile as a flickering candle struggling against the wind.
"Sister!" Alan called out, his voice trembling as he felt her breath growing fainter. He tightened his hold on her frail body, his heart clenching in despair.
At this moment, he would have given anything to take her place and endure this torment in her stead.
Having experienced the grinding torment of hell himself, Alan understood better than anyone the terrifying depths of spiritual suffering—a pain that pierced one's very soul.
But Isabella… she was just a child, barely in her teens.
She should have been enjoying the carefree and innocent days of youth, untouched by such agony.
Alan clung to Isabella with all his might, as though trying to fuse her with his own body, shielding her from the relentless torment.
The surrounding crowd watched the siblings in silence, their faces etched with various emotions.
Harris let out a quiet sigh as he observed the scene.
Alan doesn't even have a mana core?!
This shocking realization hit Harris like a bolt of lightning. It was something he had never anticipated.
Meanwhile, Hivrael, who seemed to have regained his confidence, sneered and barked out,
"What are you all standing around for? Do you want them to die here and ruin the academy's luck?"
Hivrael's sharp words stirred the other academies into action. Just as they were about to make their move, an elderly man of diminutive stature suddenly appeared before Alan.
The man was so short that, even with Alan crouched on the ground holding Isabella, their eyes met directly at the same level.
His nose was ruddy from drinking, and the strong scent of tequila clung to him like a second skin.
Hivrael's pupils contracted sharply as he noticed the elder's sudden appearance. When did this man arrive?
He hadn't sensed the elder's presence at all, and something about the man's furtive demeanor seemed unsettling. Narrowing his eyes, Hivrael demanded,
"Who are you?"
The elder ignored him entirely, his steady gaze fixed on Alan.
"Her mind power is fluctuating wildly," the elder said, his tone calm and matter-of-fact. "If this continues, she might truly die."
"But," he added with a faint smile, "you're in luck. You've encountered me."
Alan's bloodshot eyes shot up to meet the elder's, his gaze desperate and filled with hope, like a drowning man clutching at a lifeline.
"Can you save my sister?" he asked, his voice trembling with urgency.
The elder nodded with unwavering confidence. "Of course. But there's a condition: you must join Sirius Academy."
"Sirius Academy?" Alan repeated, momentarily stunned.
The crowd reacted differently. A mix of bewilderment and disdain flickered across their faces.
Many had heard of Sirius Academy. Once a powerhouse rivaling the greatest institutions, it had long since fallen into decline.
Now, it was derided as a "sewer academy," avoided by students who feared retaliation from Lioncrest Academy—a retaliation that often ended in sudden and mysterious death.
But for Alan, only one thought consumed his mind:
This man could save Isabella.
"If you can truly save my sister," Alan declared firmly, "I, Alan, swear to join Sirius Academy and never betray it!"
The elder didn't respond immediately. Instead, he gestured toward the Sky Ladder, where lifeless bodies lay strewn across the ground.
"Those corpses you see," he said gravely, "were once the brightest stars of Sirius Academy. They all died, and their deaths grew more gruesome with each generation. If you join Sirius Academy, you may share their fate."
Alan's resolve remained unshaken. Meeting the elder's gaze, he said with unyielding determination,
"If it means saving Isabella, I'm not afraid of death!"
The elder paused, seemingly weighing Alan's resolve, before asking,
"Would you also help Sirius Academy reclaim its lost glory?"
"You mean to bring back these corpses to Sirius Academy?"
Alan nodded without hesitation. "As long as I live, I will dedicate myself to this mission, no matter the cost!"
The elder's expression softened into approval. "Very well! With your promise, you are now a student of Sirius Academy!"
As he finished speaking, he snapped his fingers. A searing flame burst from his fingertips, swirling into the form of a spirit of fire.
The fiery entity danced in the air before streaking into Isabella's forehead.
Gasps rippled through the crowd as they witnessed the spirit of fire.
It was an exceedingly rare and precious phenomenon, capable of purifying the soul and transforming an ordinary mage into a prodigy over time.
As the spirit of fire entered Isabella's body, the chaotic energy surrounding her subsided, as though an invisible force had subdued it.
Alan exhaled deeply, the tension in his body melting away. The elder wasn't bluffing—he had truly saved her!
Moments later, Isabella stirred in Alan's arms. Her eyes fluttered open, her gaze meeting Alan's tear-streaked face.
"Brother… am I alive?" she murmured, her voice trembling as she raised a hand to touch his cheek.
The warmth of his skin, the vividness of her surroundings—everything confirmed the truth.
Seeing her awake, the elder explained matter-of-factly,
"The spirit of fire is a rare artifact. It will keep her safe for one month."
"Now, come with me to Sirius Academy."
Without hesitation, Alan nodded and rose to his feet, cradling Isabella in his arms.
As the trio walked away, their figures disappearing into the distance, Hivrael sneered loudly.
"Sirius Academy has really hit rock bottom! They're recruiting worthless trash without a mana core!"
But before the echoes of his derisive laughter faded, a golden figure descended upon the scene like a thunderbolt.
"Duke Alice!"
The name sent a ripple of astonished gasps through the crowd, igniting a fervent excitement.
Duke Alice—she was a legend, a shining beacon of hope and power!
To the crowd, she was like the radiant moon, dazzling and unattainable.
Why had Duke Alice appeared here?
As curious eyes followed her, Alice approached Alan and Isabella. A hint of apology lingered in her expression as she said softly,
"About what happened today…"
"You've already helped me so much," Alan interrupted, his voice calm but grateful. "This is all because of Lioncrest Academy."
The elder's gaze lingered on Alice, his heart shaken.
Even with his vast experience, he couldn't fully perceive her power. She was unlike any other genius he had ever encountered.
While he observed her, Alice turned her attention to him, her voice cool but resolute.
"The Plantagenet Kingdom is our homeland. I don't wish to see it fall into chaos."
The elder replied, "Many of Sirius Academy's students' bodies remain here."
With that, he turned and walked away.
Alan, carrying Isabella, quickly followed. After all, he was now part of Sirius Academy.
Seeing this, Alice hesitated, as though wanting to stop Alan. But in the end, she let him go.
"Duke Alice!"
Hivrael stepped forward, his tone deferential.
Alice wasn't just a duke; she was also an honorary mentor at the academy—a figure far above him in every way.
But before he could finish his greeting, Alice's eyes turned icy.
A terrifying force slammed into Hivrael's chest like a hammer, sending him flying backward.
Blood sprayed from his mouth as he crashed dozens of meters away, his body crumpling like a broken doll.
The crowd froze in stunned silence.
Duke Alice and Hivrael… they had no enmity, right?