Chapter 303: She’s Afraid

Currently, his days were completely peaceful.

Kai wouldn’t want to take that for granted, not for a moment. So, he needed to deal with most things while things were still peaceful. One that sat at the very top of his list was meeting with Markus in the Association of Angel Academy.

A man Professor Hera had told him to find as her last request.

A man who could explain the Fallen and Professor Hera’s motive for approaching him.

It was the one thing he owed her for helping him settle as an Angel.

Since Bree now doesn’t have a problem with it, there was nothing stopping him from going to see Markus. However, there was one problem with that. "I can probably ask permission to go to the AAA, but if the academy asks me for what reason, what am I going to say?"

Kai has no reason to go to the AAA.

And he needed one in order to go there and no be suspected.

Not to mention, if he was sloppy, then he would also be endangering Markus.

"I’ll think of a reason at the end of the day."

Kai decided to put that thought aside for the moment and went to the bathroom to freshen up for the morning exercise and classes. He only splashed water on his face and brushed his teeth before going to the second floor.

Surprisingly, Matilda and Bree seemed to still be asleep.

It seemed both were really tired.

Kai grabbed the Heart of Dragon from its box and sat down cross-legged, steadying his breath to calm his nerves—before absorbing it. Every Red Prince he had encountered carried an aura that pressed down on the air, and it seemed this Heart of Dragon was the reason why.

So, he wouldn’t want to wait any longer.

Swish—!

Gradually, the golden sphere in his hand began to hum.

A low, resonant vibration spread across the entire spacious room. It also travelled up his arm and settled into his bones. And then, it pulled—the energy flowed from the Heart of Dragon like a river finding its course, streaming into his palm and up his forearm.

It threaded through muscle and sinew until it reached his torso.

And there, it swirled, coiling around his core like a dragon circling the sky.

An illusory roar echoed inside the chamber of his mind—and then it settled into his beating heart, synchronizing with the rhythm of his pulse. Inside, Kai couldn’t help but compare this gold energy with extracted mana from mana ores.

Absorbing mana ores was a cool, comforting sensation, like drinking water after a long thirst.

This, on the other hand, was the complete opposite—it was fire.

A pleasing, enveloping heat spread through him, as if he had sunk into a bath drawn from the sun itself. The dragon within his torso spun faster as the energy drained, and the heat coming from it intensified.

Sweat beaded on his forehead and traced slow paths down his temples.

Before long, the sphere in his hand dissolved completely as the last strand of power was pulled into him. For a suspended moment, silence enveloped the area—only the sound made by the spinning orb of gold in his torso filled the background.

Eventually, his main Primordial Lock flashed into life.

Sensing the foreign power that had intruded on its territory, the Primordial Lock responded with the ferocity of a mother bear. It seized the dragon, absorbed it completely until something inside Kai clicked.

A sound like a door unlocking or a seal breaking.

An unbearable surge climbed from the deepest part of him.

Kai’s body unleashed an expanding pulse of mana, a firm wave that rushed against the walls.

He opened his eyes again and lifted his hand—watching the dark mana that seethed from his fingertips, curling like smoke from an extinguished bonfire. A smile crept across his lips as he opened his status window quickly.

Eager to scan the numbers, which would be concrete evidence of his growth.

...

[Status]

Name: Kai #####

Rank: Grade 0 Aspirant

Bloodline: First Son of the Primordial Night

Primordial Lock: 2 (3%)

Legacy Skill: Deep Slumber (Advanced)

Legacy Imprint(s): Nigh-Phantom, Dark Discharge, Black Starfall

Incomplete Ending: True Arc

Complete Ending: Perfect Slash, Stone, Reckless Ruin, Retribution

Path: -

Ending Fragment: -

Usable Exp: 32,500

Quest: Enter the Second Daughter’s Domain

...

[Physical Stats]

Strength: 135 (+25)

Speed: 149 (+50)

Dexterity: 188

Constitution: 129

Mana: 499 → 749 (+15)

...

"I’m pretty sure the Heart of Dragon was supposed to double my mana," Kai thought aloud— as his eyes focused on the physical stats. "I guess about a two hundred and fifty-point increase was about double."

Beside him, one of the doors creaked open.

Bree shuffled out with a yawn, still half-asleep, rubbing her eyes with the heel of her palm.

"What’s with all the ruckus?" She asked, blinking before settling her gaze on Kai.

"Good morning." Kai put his mana away and stood back up again. He stretched his arms and then looked at the window, reflecting the first streak of dawn. "You should quickly get ready, or else we’ll be late for morning exercise."

"Hm?" Bree lazily glanced towards the window.

For a good moment, she stared at the outside—her body still collecting her scattered soul.

Just then, she gasped, and her eyes widened in shock.

"I woke up late!" She screamed and quickly rushed back to her room.

As the door clicked shut, Kai caught the muffled sound of her incoherent complaints. Though it was hard to hear, she was clearly annoyed that he hadn’t woken her sooner. Kai shook his head at her antics, and then his gaze drifted to the other door.

"Don’t tell me Matilda hadn’t woken up, too."

Kai went to knock on the door, and as expected, Matilda came out with her eyes still closed.

She forced her eyelids up to look at Kai, and then smacked her lips.

"What is it?’

"Go get ready, or we’ll be late."

Matilda leaned back to check the window, and then she snapped out of her sleepiness.

"You should’ve woken me up!" She grumbled and slammed the door shut.

Kai stood in front of her room awkwardly, and then scoffed, "Why are they blaming me?"

Just then, the doorbell rang.

"Coming!" He yelled, rushing down the staircase.

He opened the front door without even looking through the peephole first, and was pleasantly surprised by the person standing on the porch. It was Talitha, and there was a big box— on the floor before her.

"Talitha?!"

"Master Kai, I hope I didn’t intrude on your sleep."

"Hm? Of course not." Kai saw Talitha was about to carry the box—but quickly grabbed it for her. "I wasn’t expecting you to leave the infirmary so quickly. Are you sure you’re healed? No need to hurry back."

"I’m already healed," Talitha said, raising and shaking her hands. "I could leave yesterday, but Abigail forced me to stay another day."

"I don’t blame her. You still look really pale."

"Don’t worry about me. I heard that you won, so I can’t wait to see how you’re doing now. Congratulations on becoming the Red Prince, Master Kai. I’ll make sure to prepare a gift for you."

Talitha checked Kai’s wrist and saw the lucky charm wasn’t there anymore.

Seemed like its blessing had run out.

"I did not even realize it broke," Kai chuckled apologetically. "Err—No need for any gift; I’m already happy to see that you are fine now. It was my fault that you and your sister got hurt, so I don’t think I deser—"

"It’s not your fault," Talitha intervened, shaking her head. "Don’t blame yourself for the evils of others."

"Right..." Kai smiled at what she said and then turned. "Come on, let’s get inside. And don’t be surprised—Bree and Matilda moved in last night."

"Oh?" Her eyes widened, not expecting this. "I hope there’s still a place for me."

"It’s a big house. Way bigger than our basement. I’m sure there are plenty of rooms."

As Kai shut the front door while carrying the big box with one hand—he noticed Talitha was lingering. Something unspoken caught in her expression. Her lips trembled faintly, her glassy eyes glistened, and her hands fidgeted as if she couldn’t quite hold them still.

It was her posture and cues that made Kai tilt his head in confusion.

"What is it?"

"N-Nothing."

"Come on, Talitha. Do you still need to stay in reserve around me?"

"Erm... Just that I was wondering whether the... uh... the person who stabbed me..."

Kai’s tense expression eased.

Only then did he realize what made her act like this.

He had assumed that she was hiding a secret, or had something important to say. But it was none of that. Her trembling lips, her glassy eyes, and her fidgeting hands were all cues for the fear she was feeling.

Talitha was afraid.

Unlike him or the other Angels who had grown accustomed to almost dying, she wasn’t.

Just the thought of the person who stabbed her still roaming around scared her.

"Don’t worry about a thing." Kai held her shoulder, giving her assurance. "He’s already dead. And from now on, you can flash my name wherever you go. If someone still disturbs you, tell me instantly."

"Y-Yes!" Talitha’s lips curled into a smile, and she nodded. "I’ll do that, Master Kai."

Kai placed the box on the kitchen table.

"What is all of this?" He asked.

"Our things from the basement," Talitha replied and opened the box. "Mainly clothes."

Kai checked the insides and then noticed something.

One thing that he had forgotten—the Dark-eyed Grape.

Is there anyone who could engrave these grapes into the Blood-phantom Scimitar? There must be.

He put another item into his to-do list.

Since he had gone to the Second Sky to help the seniors, he had a good alibi for where he got these dark grapes from. So, the academy shouldn’t suspect a thing, and he could also use these grapes to enhance his scimitar, perhaps adding an affinity with an origin to it.

"There’s an empty room." Kai took the grapes, noticing they felt lighter than before—but he paid it no mind. He gestured toward the sliding door that led into the clean kitchen. "Go left, then up the staircase. It’s beside the laundry, but the room has a good view. I think you’ll like it."

"Okay," Talitha nodded and took the box with her. "Do you need anything before I go there?"

"Nope. You can go on ahead."

"Understood."

Just as Kai was about to return to his master bedroom to change into his used uniform as the time for morning exercise was closing, the doorbell rang once again. He opened the door again and was greeted by an unfamiliar face.

Someone who didn’t seem to be from the academy.

"Red Prince Kai?"

"Yes?"

"You can skip the morning exercise. Today is the scheduled day to choose your new mount."