The Useless Extra Knows It All....But Does He?-Chapter 386 - Back to Academy!

For a brief and somewhat awkward moment after the door opened, the three of them simply stood there.

Aurelia’s hand remained half-raised from her intended knock, her sharp amethyst eyes moving slowly between Luca and the Saintess as though she were silently piecing together the situation that had clearly unfolded before she arrived.

Luca, for his part, immediately recognized the dangerous silence forming in the doorway.

And he quickly cleared his throat.

"Well," he began with a casual tone that was perhaps a little too deliberate, "we were just finishing up here."

The Saintess glanced briefly between the two of them, clearly understanding the situation far better than Luca wished she would.

A faint, knowing smile touched her lips.

"I should take my leave," she said calmly, inclining her head politely toward Aurelia before stepping past her into the hallway.

Aurelia stepped aside without protest, watching the silver-haired Saintess walk away down the corridor until her figure disappeared around the corner.

Only then did she turn her gaze slowly back toward Luca.

There was a certain look in her eyes.

Not anger.

Not suspicion.

But something dangerously close to amusement.

Luca scratched the back of his head.

"It’s not what it looked like," he said immediately.

Aurelia raised one eyebrow slightly.

"Oh?"

Luca sighed quietly, realizing how ridiculous that sounded.

"She came to talk about what happened today," he clarified. "That’s all."

Aurelia stared at him for another second.

Then she shrugged lightly and walked into the room as though the matter had already been settled in her mind.

"Well," she said casually, moving toward the balcony where the cool night air still drifted through the open doors, "that’s good then."

Luca blinked once.

That... was easier than expected.

He followed her toward the balcony, leaning lightly against the railing beside her as the moon continued to hang peacefully above the sleeping Holy Kingdom.

For a while they spoke about small things.

About the chaos that had unfolded in the square.

About the shocked expressions of the clergy when the Saintess’ power returned.

About Kyle’s dramatic entrance riding the Ice Phoenix.

And about how close everything had come to collapsing into complete disaster.

Eventually Aurelia glanced sideways at him.

"So," she asked with quiet curiosity, "what are we going to do now?"

Luca chuckled softly.

"What can we do?"

He leaned back against the railing, crossing his arms behind his head as he stared up at the moon.

"In a week the next semester starts."

He turned his head slightly toward her.

"So we’ll have to go back to the academy."

For a moment Aurelia simply stared at him.

Then she laughed.

A genuine, relaxed laugh that carried easily into the quiet night.

"You’re right."

The simplicity of that realization seemed strangely refreshing after everything that had happened.

No conspiracies.

No battles.

Just the inevitable return to classes, training, and the everyday chaos of Arcadia Academy.

And just like that—

The night passed.

They talked about everything and nothing.

About Sylthara’s strange new connection to the World Tree.

About Selena’s Ice Phoenix.

About Kyle’s endless talent for finding trouble.

About Aiden’s dramatic arrival on the Pegasus.

Even about the strange future that seemed to be unfolding before them, a future that had already diverged wildly from the path Luca once knew.

Eventually the moon drifted across the sky.

And dawn arrived quietly over the Holy Kingdom.

Golden sunlight slowly replaced the silver glow of night as the city stirred awake beneath the cathedral spires.

By the time morning had fully arrived, Luca and the others had gathered outside the guest inn where they had stayed during their time in the kingdom.

The street was calm and quiet compared to the chaos of the previous day.

Standing near the entrance, waiting patiently with her arms folded, was Professor Seraphina.

The blue-haired instructor looked as composed as ever, though the faint shadow beneath her eyes suggested she had not slept much after the events that had shaken the kingdom.

One by one the students stepped forward to join her.

Kyle arrived first, stretching lazily as he approached Luca with his usual smug grin.

"Well, well," he said, clapping Luca on the shoulder with exaggerated enthusiasm, "the hero of the Holy Kingdom finally emerges."

Luca rolled his eyes slightly.

"Good morning to you too."

Sylthara and Selena stood nearby speaking quietly, while Aiden leaned against the stone wall with his arms crossed, watching the street with calm, observant eyes.

Once everyone had gathered, Professor Seraphina straightened slightly.

"I assume," she said coolly, glancing across the group of students standing before her, "that you all intend to return to Arcadia Academy with me."

There was no hesitation.

Everyone nodded.

After everything that had happened, the idea of returning to the academy felt strangely comforting.

But just as they were preparing to leave—

The Saintess stepped forward.

"I’m afraid I won’t be able to return with you just yet," she said calmly.

The group looked at her in mild surprise.

Kyle blinked.

"Wait, really?"

The Saintess nodded gently.

"I will return to the academy when the semester begins," she assured them.

"But for now... there are still matters here in the Holy Kingdom that require my attention."

Kyle tilted his head curiously.

"Like what?"

She smiled faintly.

"There are still a few things I need to take care of."

The group exchanged quiet glances.

Then they nodded in understanding.

The small group lingered for a moment longer outside the guest inn, the quiet of the morning settling around them like a calm after the storm of the previous day. The Holy Kingdom’s streets were already beginning to stir with life again, merchants opening their stalls and citizens cautiously returning to their routines, though the shadow of yesterday’s revelations still lingered faintly in the air.

Luca glanced around the gathering and then turned his attention toward Professor Seraphina.

"By the way," he asked casually, tilting his head slightly as if something had just occurred to him, "where are the dean and the rest of the instructors?"

Seraphina answered without hesitation.

"They already left yesterday."

Luca blinked in surprise.

"Yesterday?"

She nodded once.

"Yes. Once the situation in the square was stabilized and the Saintess’ authority was recognized again, there was no longer any reason for the academy staff to remain here."

Luca folded his arms thoughtfully.

"Then why didn’t you leave with them, professor?"

Seraphina’s eyes shifted toward him, and for a brief moment the corner of her lips twitched as if she found the question mildly amusing.

"Because," she replied calmly, "the dean specifically asked me to stay behind and keep an eye on you."

Luca raised an eyebrow.

"Keep an eye on me?"

"Yes," she said flatly. "To make sure you didn’t cause any more trouble on the way back."

For a moment Luca simply stared at her.

Then he laughed.

A genuine, carefree laugh that escaped him before he could stop it.

But the laughter died almost as quickly as it had appeared.

Because when he glanced sideways at his friends—

He found them all looking at him.

Very seriously.

Kyle.

Aiden.

Sylthara.

Selena.

Even Aurelia.

And every single one of them nodded slowly in agreement with Seraphina’s statement, as though confirming that the dean’s decision had been not only reasonable, but absolutely necessary.

Luca’s mouth twitched.

"...You guys too?"

No one answered.

Their expressions alone were answer enough.

Seraphina cleared her throat softly and raised one hand.

With a simple flick of her fingers, the air in front of them rippled as mana gathered in swirling currents.

From that gathering flow of water and light, a magnificent creature formed.

A water serpent.

Its long body shimmered with translucent scales that reflected the morning sunlight in shifting shades of blue and silver. The creature coiled gracefully in the air, its massive form floating effortlessly as streams of liquid mana flowed along its body like gentle rivers.

Seraphina stepped forward and placed one foot lightly upon the serpent’s back as if mounting a familiar steed.

Then she glanced back at Luca.

"Climb up."

Luca lifted a hand.

"Actually, I have my own beast."

Seraphina did not even let him finish the sentence.

"Climb up."

Her tone left no room for negotiation.

Luca sighed quietly.

"...Yes, professor."

He stepped forward and carefully climbed onto the water serpent behind her, settling himself on the smooth surface of its flowing body.

Around them, the others began summoning their own beasts.

Kyle called forth a massive gryphon that descended from the sky with a powerful beat of its wings.

Aiden summoned his radiant Pegasus once more, the creature landing gracefully before him with its golden mane shining in the sunlight.

Selena’s Ice Phoenix emerged from a swirl of frost, its crystalline feathers scattering sparkling flakes through the morning air.

Sylthara climbed behind Selena, as Aurelia climbed on Kyle’s gryphon as well.

Within moments, the quiet street outside the inn had transformed into a gathering of powerful magical creatures, each one ready to take to the skies.

Seraphina gave a small command.

The water serpent lifted smoothly into the air.

One by one, the other beasts followed.

Wings beat against the morning sky.

Mana currents swirled beneath them.

Soon the group was rising above the rooftops of the Holy Kingdom.

From his position behind Seraphina, Luca looked down as the city slowly drifted away beneath them.

The towering cathedral.

The vast execution square where everything had changed.

The countless streets that had witnessed both darkness and redemption.

All of it grew smaller and smaller as they climbed higher into the open sky.

Luca let out a quiet breath.

Then he lifted his gaze toward the distant horizon stretching endlessly ahead of them.

Academy life.

Training.

Classes.

Friends.

Peaceful days that, for a short while at least, might not be filled with cultists, demon generals, or collapsing kingdoms.

A faint smile touched his lips as he leaned back slightly against the rushing wind.

Academy...

and peaceful days...

I’m coming.