As soon as the portal stabilized and the last of the students had escaped, the academy staff wasted no time evacuating everyone from the field. The soldiers and instructors who had been stationed near the gate immediately sprang into action, guiding the students away from the now-collapsed portal site.
The once-bustling battlefield was now eerily silent, except for the murmurs of injured students and the rustling of leaves in the wind. The reddish glow that had consumed the gate was now gone, leaving only a barren patch of land where the entrance had once stood.
"Move quickly! Any students who are injured, report to the medical tents immediately!" one of the instructors shouted.
The lower-ranked students—many of whom had fled the moment the gate changed color—were already being escorted back through a secondary portal opened by the academy's mages. Their frightened faces showed their relief at having survived, but whispers spread among them like wildfire.
"Did you hear? Prince Theodore and his group stayed inside even after the gate turned red!"
"I heard he wanted to train himself… is he insane?"
"No, they said something happened in there. Something dangerous."
"What about their instructor? Where is Mr. Lenny?"
Theodore and his group, however, had been separated from the rest. Unlike the other students who were immediately ushered back to their dormitories, they were taken straight to the academy's inner halls—where the elders, principal, and top instructors awaited them.
The decision had been made swiftly.
While the rest of the students were retired to their dorms, Theodore's group was detained for questioning. The sudden change of the gate, the extended duration of their stay, and the mysterious disappearance of their instructor had raised too many questions.
Miss Dalia, visibly shaken but keeping her composure, had insisted on staying close to them as they were led to the council chambers.
"I'll explain everything to the elders," she had told them, her voice firm. "Just tell the truth, and everything will be fine."
But Theodore knew better.
Even as they walked through the academy halls, he could feel the weight of suspicion pressing down on them. The eyes of the instructors who passed by held a mix of relief and wariness.
The school had nearly lost a prince today.
And that was something no one would take lightly.
As they were seated in the grand chamber, Theodore could already see the council members whispering among themselves.Principal Roman sat at the highest seat, his expression unreadable. The elders, though aged, radiated authority, and Theodore knew from their piercing gazes that they would not be easy to fool.
The tension in the hall was suffocating. Theodore and his group sat before the principal and the four elders, their faces shadowed by the dim candlelight that flickered across the stone walls. The room felt less like a school meeting and more like an interrogation chamber.
Theodore's eyes flickered to each of the elders, analyzing their expressions—Miss Tara, concerned yet gentle; Mr. White, grumpy and suspicious; Elder Vaughan, quiet but observant; and Elder Remiel, who seemed indifferent but was clearly listening intently.
"Ahem, let's begin," Mr Roman finally said, his voice carrying the weight of authority. "You don't need to be afraid. Just cooperate with us, answer truthfully, and you'll be allowed to return to your dormitories."
Theodore remained composed, but he knew exactly why they were here. They want to know what happened in the Green Gate. They want to understand why it collapsed, why we stayed behind, and most importantly, whether or not I had something to do with it.
Miss Tara, the kindest among them, leaned forward slightly, her voice laced with worry. "According to Miss Dalia, the Green Gate suddenly became unstable. The students were evacuated, but you five remained inside. Can you tell us why?"
Elisa hesitated. She glanced at Jin, then at Noah and Vivian, before turning to Theodore. She knew the real reason but chose to protect him. "We were about to leave, but… we didn't make it in time before the gate closed."
Theodore's eyes widened slightly. So she's lying for me? Interesting.
Mr. White scoffed, slamming his cane against the floor. "Do you expect us to believe that nonsense, girl? The other students clearly stated that the prince stayed behind on purpose—to train! And you followed him, didn't you?"
"Mr. White, will you shut up?" Miss Tara snapped, glaring at him. "You're scaring the children!"
A heated argument broke out among the elders, their voices overlapping in a chaotic debate. Some of them seemed convinced that Theodore had recklessly endangered himself, while others appeared more concerned about the sudden instability of the Green Gate.
Theodore decided this was the perfect moment to step in. He needed to control the narrative.
"What you heard is true."
The room fell silent. All eyes turned to Theodore.
He lowered his head slightly, as if burdened by guilt, then slowly raised it with a solemn, almost pained expression. His voice was controlled but laced with just the right amount of regret. "I stayed behind, hoping to grow stronger… but that wasn't the real reason."
Mr. White's voice boomed through the chamber, his face contorted in rage. "Just because you managed to lift the curse on Daunt Village doesn't mean you can recklessly endanger your classmates! What in the world were you thinking?"
Theodore remained composed, his gaze steady, even as Mr. White's anger bore down on him. He's already convinced that I'm at fault. If I react emotionally, it will only confirm his suspicions. I need to be careful.
Miss Neal, the blind elder with long silver hair, spoke next. Her tone was calm, yet it carried an undeniable weight. "Prince Theodore… what you did was reckless. What would have happened if that portal never reopened? You and your classmates would have perished inside." Though her eyes were hidden beneath her long bangs, Theodore felt as if she could see through him. "Can you explain your reasoning?"
Theodore bowed his head slightly, appearing regretful. "The truth is… our instructor, Mr. Lenny, had been engaging in black magic. He was the reason the gate's color changed to red."
A stunned silence followed his words. Then—
"What?!"
"Impossible!"
"Black magic? That's a taboo! It hasn't existed in decades!"
The elders and instructors erupted into chaos, their disbelief echoing across the chamber. But among them, one figure remained utterly still.
Mr. Roman.
Theodore noticed it immediately—the way the head instructor's expression darkened at the mere mention of black magic. A suffocating wave of killing intent burst from him like an explosion, pressing against the room with an overwhelming force.
The weaker instructors fell to their knees, gasping for breath. The students clutched their chests, trembling. Even some of the elders flinched, their faces pale.
"Calm down, Mr. Roman!" Elder Neal shouted, his voice sharp with urgency.
Mr. Roman closed his eyes, inhaled deeply, then slowly exhaled. Within seconds, the suffocating pressure vanished, as if it had never existed. He smiled, but it was a hollow, eerie thing. "Ah… my apologies."
Theodore, though outwardly composed, was carefully analyzing him. So… just hearing about dark magic is enough to make him lose control? Interesting.
Mr. Roman crossed his arms, his smile thin. "Dark magic… what is this world coming to? First, the curse in Daunt Village… and now, an instructor using black mana inside the academy? It's almost hard to believe."
"But it's true!" Noah cut in, his voice filled with conviction. "We fought him together. He transformed into some kind of slime monster and tried to kill us. But the strangest part was that he seemed to be after the prince."
Miss Dalia, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke. "That explains why he insisted on entering the gate with the students. He said he wanted to protect them, but in reality… he had other intentions."
Mr. Roman's expression darkened again. His hands curled into fists. "After all these years of sacrifice… after everything we've done to eliminate them… they still exist."
Theodore tilted his head slightly, pretending to be confused. "Mr. Roman… what do you mean by 'eliminate them'?"
But the head instructor's eyes flickered with something unreadable. Instead of answering, he exhaled sharply and turned away. "It doesn't matter."
It does matter. Theodore thought. But you clearly don't want to talk about it. Which means it's something important.
Mr. Roman forced a smile and straightened his posture. "Regardless, what matters now is that you students are safe. That is the only thing we can be thankful for." He turned toward the Teachers. "Summon all the instructors immediately. We will conduct a full-scale investigation. If there are any traces of black magic in this academy, we will find them."
The school physician nodded. "I will also send word to the king."
The meeting was officially over.
Theodore and his group stood, bowing politely before turning to leave. But as they walked toward the doors, Theodore cast one last glance back at Mr. Roman.
The man was standing still, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. His expression was unreadable, but the lingering tension in his posture betrayed him.
He hates dark mages.
Why?
Theodore's mask of obedience remained perfectly intact, but beneath it, his mind was working rapidly.
Dark magic isn't just forbidden—it's feared.
Why was it erased from history?
As he and his friends stepped out of the chamber, Theodore allowed himself the smallest of smirks.
No matter. I'll find out soon enough.