As Jung tried to find his way to the hall, he heard a loud chatter, suggesting that the trials had ended. Though late, he stayed unconcerned.
Bonding with the academy's goddess and the most beloved teacher had its perks. Jung could just pass the trial later. All he wanted was to dine. Even sleeping wouldn't be an awful alternative.
However, when Jung followed the sounds to reach the cafeteria, the place where most of the applicants went right after passing the first two examinations, he heard a familiar voice.
His interest piqued. Hiding, Jung listened to the conversation but as his position wasn't great, he couldn't see the speakers.
At least his hearing was good. Evolved with two separate archetypes and an Arc called Shifting Cloud, his senses worked better than any student in this academy.
"I knew you were useless," the voice spat, followed by a smacking sound. "Learn your place!"
They were harsh words belonging to a girl who was bullying Ronan. The boy said nothing. Jung could merely see his shadow and the sword handle he was gripping.
The threatening and hitting didn't stop there. Ronan was thrashed by a girl Jung knew fairly well.
"Brother?" Repeating in disgust, not masking her hatred, she continued. "You are nobody but a bastard. Keep your head low!"
Their relationship and the reason the boy was bullied caused curiosity in Jung's mind. 'I am getting closer to uncovering the Chosen One,' he thought, leaving the place, as he had no desire to interfere.
With all the clues he gathered, Jung had a solid idea of who might have been the one he was looking for. But it was purely a theory.
Jung didn't want to dwell longer, so he turned around, strolling through the halls to reach the food. He quickly found a stall, got his plates, and chose the meal.
Yet, his arrival caused an uproar, making students attentive to his desire to eat peacefully. Alas, it was only wishful thinking, as students surrounded Jung and bombarded him with questions.
"What did you say to Snowshade?" the girl with a ponytail asked.
"Where did she take you?" One boy was exceptionally loud. "What relationship do you have with my goddess?"
Ignoring all of them, Jung had the urge to lie that Snowshade was his girlfriend. Thankfully, he had a sane mind and decided against it.
If Jung had actually said that, not even the Archeons would have been able to defend him. Acting like he didn't hear their questions was the sole solution he came up with.
It wouldn't help, though. There was no saying when the obsessed fans would leave him alone.
To his surprise, the rescue appeared, silencing the crowd. "Be quiet!" the woman shouted.
Of course, it was Snowshade herself. It seemed like she left her office and returned to her duties, which included looking after the students.
Jung made eye contact with the woman. Nodding, he expressed gratitude and sought his cohort to join them at the table.
He was quick on that mission. Seeing others and Ronan with a puffed, bluish cheek, Jung swiftly sat next to him.
With plates filled with food, he was about to devour them when he noticed their curious gazes. "May I finish first?" he asked, stroking his belly to show his hunger.
"Go ahead," Astra said politely. His stare had no less interest than the others.
"Don't choke on that," Leora warned. It sounded like a curse.
Ronan stayed silent. The boy didn't even want to be there, but with a lack of choice, he remained and ate in discomfort. As for Mira, she was smiling in the usual manner, her eyes covered in wonder.
Enjoying his time, Jung ate in slow motion, causing others to snort at his actions. He had no problems in the world and with steady movements, he gobbled the food without uttering a single word.
His surroundings were in chaos. Teenagers were excited about their success in passing the first two tests, yet uneasy feelings lingered as no one knew anything about the third trial, causing turmoil and panic among them.
Chatter filled the cafeteria. Most of the students finished their plates; awaiting another announcement, they lingered in place. However, their expectations weren't fulfilled.
Snowshade stood close to the door; she was the only one with access to the exit, but she never moved.
As if students could never leave the room.
Jung had no thought about this matter. Finishing his food, he looked up at his companions, and noticing their silence, he spoke.
"I see all of you have passed the trials," he said as he cleaned his hand using the paper towel. Before anyone could pose a question, he was quicker to seek the information.
"How did the ceremony go? Did I miss anything noteworthy?" This sparked a new conversation lasting more than an hour.
Jung didn't dive into the details but mentioned that he would work with Snowshade. Explaining their bond and his so-called magic trick was unnecessary, so he skipped that part.
Then, the woman called students out of nowhere, sending them to different locations. Ronan and Mira were the first ones to be summoned from their table, leaving Jung with the twins.
Happy with the outcome, Jung talked non-stop, covering various topics, even if Leora wasn't interested in his ramblings.
Seconds ticked by, and Jung overheard an exchange that took place next to his table. It was small talk, nothing serious, but some words triggered his awareness, gripped his heart, and stole his breath.
"I heard that our leading prodigy disappeared," whispered a boy as he covered his mouth.
"Really?" exclaimed the blue-dressed girl. "You mean the youngest senior in the academy's history?" she asked, sadness creeping into her face.
Another guy agreed and spoke anxiously. "According to the records, she was the most talented student, I had heard about her long before arriving in the city."
"And what happened? How can the pupil disappear just like that?" asked another boy. He had big, round green eyes, captivating all who dared to gaze at them.
"That's the problem," said the first youth. "No one knows what happened to her, but rumours are saying it's tied to both the principal and Snowshade."
A silence descended, and the blue-dressed girl added, causing Jung's heart to tremble. "She was an albino, right?" she said, searching in her memories. "She was a ruler, a fair-skinned maiden, destined for greatness. It's a pity what happened to her."
'Elara.' This was the first name that popped up in Jung's thoughts. His dear sister—the sibling he missed deeply.
There were no leads, no clues about her. Yet, he heard her description, and he had to make sure that they were talking about the same girl.
As Jung was about to leave his table and interrogate them, the voice spoke in his head, belonging to the system.
[I checked the records and there is a 97% probability.] Vex said. Her every word was deliberate. [It's safe to assume they were talking about Elara.]
Listening to her explanation, the feelings Jung experienced were too complicated to decipher. Happiness mixed with hope and sadness, and the final ingredient was determination.
Jung returned to his seat. Turmoil was clear on his face, but he didn't conceal it. "You said drinking in your village is prohibited?"
He asked the twins, intending to bring their attention to the conversation.
After doing so, he locked eyes with them and smiled maniacally while thinking about his sister.
[You found the Chosen One.]
[Quest IV Completed.]
[The special item is added to your inventory.]
Jung grinned after seeing and hearing the notifications. Not wasting time, he channelled the persona into his hand and materialized it, creating a sharp knife.
His actions were seen, and the chosen one wanted to move. They were quick. But Jung was faster. Drawing the blade in his hand, he pinned the Chosen One's hand to the table, piercing it and binding it with no chance of escape.
[Ding.] Vex said out of nowhere, mirroring Jung's emotions.
«Reward: The Messiah identity. «Caveat: This action will cause the wrath of the Archeons.