Imprisoned for a Trillion Years, I Was Worshipped by All Gods!

Stephen stood motionless, brows tightly furrowed, feeling the weight of the oppressive pressure before him.

He couldn’t wrap his head around it.

Was Gayle really about to burn all bridges with Lioncrest Academy… for Alan?

Was it worth it?

From both a rational and emotional standpoint, sacrificing an entire academy for a single student was the worst decision a headmaster could make.

Gayle shouldn’t be that kind of man—he never had been.

But what Stephen didn’t realize… was that Gayle saw further and clearer than anyone.

True, Alan was a newcomer to Sirius Academy—he had no background, no connections, and no deep-rooted ties to the academy.

But Gayle sensed something rare and irreplaceable in him.

A magnetic pull. A force of cohesion.

Because of Alan, Francis and Fort chose to stay.

Even Blanche, Gayle’s own granddaughter, followed the same path.

Alan’s presence had sparked something in people who had long given up on dreams.

He gave them hope.

If Gayle were to abandon Alan today for the sake of some “peaceful settlement” with Lioncrest, Francis would be the first to walk away. He wouldn’t tolerate the betrayal.

More importantly, Alan’s potential—the speed of his growth—was so astonishing, Gayle was willing to cast aside everything just to protect him.

To forsake such a student over political posturing?

That would be the true disgrace.

Because it would mean students weren’t people—they were just bargaining chips.

And no one enters an academy to become someone else’s currency.

As Gayle’s mana surged with increasing ferocity, the white-robed tier-diamond mages Stephen had summoned began to visibly tremble.

They backed away, step by step, eyes wide with disbelief.

Legendary mage.

That was the rank Gayle had reached—one of only four in the entire Plantagenet Kingdom.

Even the most battle-hardened diamond mages paled in comparison to a single Legendary.

In the world of mages, each rank grew exponentially in power.

Don’t be fooled by how short the step seemed—from diamond to Legendary.

That single step was greater than the chasm from iron to diamond.

Even if every single mage in Lioncrest Academy stood together, they likely couldn’t defeat Gayle.

That wasn’t arrogance. That was reality.

Diamond mages bent to reality.

Legendary mages rewrote it.

“Damn it!”

Stephen’s jaw clenched hard enough to grind his teeth.

He had already calculated the odds.

Even if Lioncrest threw everything they had into a fight with Sirius, it would be a brutal, thankless war.

That was why he’d offered Alan as the scapegoat.

Let Sirius admit fault, take the loss, and walk away.

But what he hadn’t expected… was for Sirius to fight like cornered beasts—even Gayle, that famously reclusive drunkard, was now prepared to risk it all for a single student.

What made Alan so special?!

The air grew charged. A fight seemed inevitable.

That’s when—

From the horizon came a soft, almost weary sigh.

Everyone instinctively turned their heads.

There, floating calmly in the sky, was an old man with flaming red hair.

Without a word, he descended and placed a hand gently on Gayle’s shoulder.

“Gayle,” he said with a smile, “can’t we talk this out like old friends? Must it come to this?”

Gayle blinked, eyebrows knotting.

Then, recognizing the man, he snapped irritably,

“You decrepit fool. Just woke up and already looking for trouble? What, you bored in retirement?”

The red-haired elder shrugged.

“I’m not here to make trouble. I’m here to protect what’s left of our Plantagenet Kingdom…”

That sentence silenced the crowd.

Alan blinked and leaned closer to Gayle.

“Headmaster… who is this?”

Gayle sighed and shook his head. He knew exactly why this man had come: to stop a war from breaking out.

“You kids are too young to remember,” Gayle said.

“That red-headed bastard is none other than the former king of the Plantagenet Kingdom—Denken Charlie, also known as Charlie the First.”

Then, with a roll of his eyes, Gayle added,

“And… like me and Stephen, he’s also one of the four Legendary mages still alive.”

“WHAT?!”

Alan couldn’t believe it.

This lazy-looking old man, who had floated in with a yawn, was not only the founding monarch, but also one of the strongest mages in the world?

Denken chuckled and gave a sheepish wave, saying nothing more.

Instead, he turned toward Stephen.

“Stephen, long time no see. Still in good health?”

Stephen snorted coldly, ignoring him.

Unfazed, Denken went on,

“I didn’t expect things to escalate like this. How about we… end it here?”

“For my sake.”

That line landed like a stone dropped into still water.

Stephen’s face darkened instantly.

“You want me to let it go? Just like that? And what about my students, huh?”

He pointed at the burned corpses near the gate.

“Do those charred bodies mean nothing?!”

Denken’s face grew solemn.

Even he didn’t have a perfect solution.

He had only come to prevent something worse—because the truth was, the Plantagenet Kingdom had external threats aplenty.

Most notably from the Barton Kingdom.

They couldn’t afford internal conflict on top of that.

If there was one lesson Denken had learned during his reign, it was this:

“You have to hold the bowl level.”

Even if you can’t make it perfectly even, you must never let it spill. Never let others drink your portion.

After a long pause, Denken finally said:

“Stephen, Lioncrest Academy has a long and proud history.”

“Its traditions, its legacy—it’s one of the jewels of our kingdom.”

“But Sirius, though it’s weakened, has… how do they say… grown a few new fangs.”

“If Gayle fights seriously, even Lioncrest might not walk away unscathed.”

“And if word got out that Sirius defeated Lioncrest?”

“All the prestige you’ve worked so hard to build… gone.”

“Stephen, you’re not a child anymore. Don’t let your emotions lead you. Think about the future.”

Stephen remained silent, brows furrowed.

He knew… what Denken said was the truth.

But knowing it and accepting it were two different things.

Humans are creatures ruled by a tangled web of logic and emotion.

If everyone always listened to reason, there would be no vengeance. No wars. No grudges.

And yet…

Seeing Stephen still hesitate, Denken added one final piece:

“Stephen, I advise you to think carefully.”

“Stay the course. Keep building. In a few more years, your efforts might be recognized by the Sacred Realm.”

“But if you make the wrong decision here today…”

“That door might close forever.”