"Can’t you see I am running as well!"

Serena’s sharp reply came without her even turning toward him, her breath slightly uneven as she kept pace, her grip still firm on the girl beside her as all three of them surged forward through the dimly lit pathways.

"Tch-"

Damon clicked his tongue faintly at that, but he did not press further, the urgency of the situation swallowing any chance of continued argument as the sound of rushing footsteps echoed all around them.

"THUD—THUD—THUD—THUD!"

The academy grounds, which had been silent moments ago, now felt alive with movement, streams of students pouring toward a single destination as the massive doors of the auditorium came into view ahead.

By the time Damon reached it, the entrance had already flooded with bodies, students pushing through in waves as they hurried inside, the tension thick enough to feel.

Within minutes, all three hundred first-year students had gathered.

The vast auditorium, usually orderly and controlled, now buzzed with restless energy as students stood packed together, voices rising in overlapping murmurs that filled the space with uneasy speculation.

"What kind of emergency calls everyone like this in the middle of the night...?"

"Do you think it’s an attack...?"

"Or maybe an inspection... no, wait—don’t tell me it’s exams—!"

"Exams? At this hour? Are you insane?"

Laughter mixed awkwardly with anxiety, some trying to lighten the mood, others clearly unsettled, their voices betraying the unease creeping through the room.

At the front—

Elowen stood upon the stage.

Her posture was composed, her expression calm, but there was something beneath it—something tighter, something heavier—that did not go unnoticed by those paying attention.

The murmurs grew louder, more restless until—

"Silence."

Her voice was not raised yet it cut through everything instantly.

The auditorium fell quiet, as though the very air had been stilled by command, every conversation dropping mid-sentence as all eyes turned toward her.

Elowen allowed the silence to settle fully before she spoke again, her gaze sweeping across the gathered students.

"I hope everyone can remain quiet for a moment and allow me to speak."

No one responded.

No one moved.

Seeing that, she continued, "A high-level breach has opened in Velmora District."

The words landed.

And the silence changed.

It no longer felt empty, It pressed down.

Heavy and oppressive.

Breathing grew uneven across the hall as the weight of what she had said began to sink in, the earlier uncertainty replaced by something far more real.

Damon’s eyes sharpened instinctively.

Beside him—

Without thinking, his hand shot out, catching Serena just as she began to fall backward, her footing faltering beneath her as the words seemed to hit her harder than anyone else.

"S-serena!" Mira’s voice broke out in alarm as she rushed forward.

Serena steadied herself almost immediately, pushing Damon’s hand away as though the contact itself grounded her back into motion, her breathing uneven as she stepped forward, her voice trembling despite her effort to control it.

"V-Velmora District... w-what’s the level of the breach?"

Elowen’s gaze settled on her, understanding flickering briefly in her eyes as she chose not to reprimand the interruption.

"Calm down, Student Serena," she said gently, though her tone carried a quiet weight, "the breach... is at minimum Level 5."

A pause.

"As for what it truly is... that can only be determined with further assessment."

Serena’s steps faltered again at that, her composure slipping for a brief moment as the reality of it pressed in, but before she could collapse, Mira stepped beside her, supporting her immediately, her expression filled with concern.

Damon watched silently.

His thoughts moving quickly.

That’s right... Velmora District...

It falls within the territory of the Valmont Duchy.

His gaze hardened slightly.

It may only be along the outer borders... not enough to threaten the main estate directly...

A brief pause in his thoughts.

But if the level increases...

He did not finish that thought.

As the implication itself was heavy enough.

A ripple moved through the auditorium the moment Elowen’s words settled, the silence fracturing once again as murmurs spread like a wave through the gathered students, each voice carrying a mix of shock, fear, and disbelief.

"A Level 5 breach... are you serious...?"

"That’s not something that just opens out of nowhere..."

"Velmora District... wait, isn’t that within the Valmont Duchy’s territory...?"

"Yeah, outer borders, but still—if it escalates—"

"What if it becomes Level 6... or worse...?"

The voices overlapped, rising steadily as the weight of the situation pressed down harder, some students whispering urgently while others spoke more openly, unable to contain the tension building within them.

Then—

"Silence."

Elowen’s voice cut through the noise once again, firm and controlled, bringing the entire hall back into order almost instantly as the murmurs died mid-sentence and every gaze returned to the stage.

"Now listen carefully," she continued, her tone steady but carrying an unmistakable gravity, "most of the academy personnel and instructors will be dispatched to Velmora District to assess and contain the situation."

Damon’s brows furrowed slightly as he listened, his attention sharpening.

"The second and third year students will also be accompanying them," Elowen went on, "primarily for support roles and volunteer operations."

Another ripple passed through the crowd, quieter this time, but no less tense.

"...Does that mean... we have to go too...?"

"No way... right...?"

"I mean... we’re first years..."

"What if they still send us—"

Before the uncertainty could spiral further, Elowen continued, her voice leaving no room for speculation.

"As for all of you," she said, her gaze sweeping across the first-year students, "you are not yet strong enough to be deployed into such an environment, and therefore, you will not be permitted to step into that territory."

A collective exhale seemed to pass through the room.

"For the coming week," she added, "all academy operations will be temporarily halted. You are free to return to your respective homes, or remain within the academy premises at your own discretion."

Her expression hardened slightly.

"However, should you choose to stay, you are expected to maintain discipline. Any misconduct during this period will be dealt with strictly."

Damon absorbed the information quietly, his thoughts aligning almost immediately.

...Well, that works for me.

I was planning on returning anyway... I’ll just have to stay longer than expected.

At the front, Elowen’s gaze shifted toward Serena.

"Student Serena."

Serena’s head lifted immediately, her attention snapping toward the stage, her expression still tense, still unsettled.

Elowen held her gaze for a brief moment before speaking.

"We have received a message from the Valmont Duchy."

Something in Serena’s posture changed subtly.

Her focus sharpened.

"You are not permitted to return to the Valmont Duchy for the time being."

The words landed heavily.

"What—?" Serena’s voice broke out before she could stop herself, her composure cracking as she took a step forward, her tone laced with urgency, "What do you mean I’m not allowed to return? That’s my home—my family is there—how can I just—"

"It is an order from your father."

Elowen’s response came calmly but decisively.

And just like that—Serena fell silent.

The protest died in her throat, her expression freezing as the authority behind those words left no space for argument, her hands tightening slightly at her sides as the reality settled in.

Around them, murmurs began again, quieter but sharper, students exchanging glances, whispering about what they had just heard.

"Even she’s not allowed to go back...?"

"That means it’s worse than we thought..."

"What’s happening over there...?"

Elowen did not allow it to grow.

"That is all," she said, her voice firm as she addressed the entire hall once more, "you may leave in an orderly manner."

And with that—

The assembly was dismissed.

Damon stepped out of the auditorium into the open night, the academy grounds still alive with scattered movement as clusters of students drifted away in different directions, their voices low but restless, carrying fragments of fear, speculation, and hurried plans.

He did not linger among them; instead, he moved forward with a steady, unhurried pace, his expression calm, his mind already shifting away from the noise around him.

...This works in my favor.

The thought settled cleanly.

With a breach of that scale, this body’s father will be occupied... completely occupied.

His gaze remained forward as he walked across the stone pathways, the faint glow of lanterns stretching long shadows ahead of him.

That means I will have more leeway to move freely in the manor.

A faint breath left him.

It couldn’t have come at a better time.

His pace did not change.

I should leave at the earliest in the morning.

By the time he reached his dorm building, the outer area had quieted slightly compared to the earlier rush, though tension still lingered in the air like something unresolved. Damon paused for a brief moment near the entrance, his gaze drifting toward the dorm manager’s cabin, the small room dimly lit as always—

Empty.

The man who usually sat facing away at all costs was nowhere to be seen.

Damon did not dwell on it.

He stepped inside and began ascending the stairs, his footsteps echoing faintly through the otherwise quiet corridor as he made his way up to the third floor, each step measured, each movement deliberate.

Reaching his room, he pushed the door open without hesitation.

And stopped.

Sahira was kneeling on the ground.

Her hands clasped tightly together, her head lowered as her voice trembled through repeated whispers, each word breaking slightly under the weight of her fear.

"Please let everything be fine... please let young master be fine... please... please..."

Her voice grew more strained with each repetition, as though she was holding onto the words themselves for stability.

"Pleas—"

"Stand up."

Damon’s voice cut through her prayer.

Clean and firm.

She froze instantly, her body stiffening before she slowly lifted her head, her eyes widening as she saw him standing there.

Damon stepped fully into the room, his gaze steady as he looked at her.

"We are leaving for Valecrest Manor early in the morning."