The headmaster's voice filled the forest. With it, life seemed to return to the woods.
⠀
The leaves rustled again, drifting in the air as they fell from the trees.
⠀
Distant beasts retreated, the voice scaring them. The smell of blood mixed with the damp dirt.
⠀
Leo noticed the things happening in the forest.
⠀
The sounds of various animals slowly but surely came from different directions, their cries mixing into a majestic melody.
⠀
Leo pulled back his mana. The blue tint engulfing his body disappeared with it.
⠀
Leo smiled, beginning to speak and unaware of his rapidly dropping adrenaline.
⠀
'Hm, I'm actually fine,' Leo thought cheerfully.
⠀
Then his body became weirdly numb before the numbness turned into a burning heat inside his body.
⠀
His body became unstable as his legs failed to move, making him fall.
⠀
The pain hit him. His untreated wounds grew severe. Collapsing against a tree, he sucked in his breath, holding back the cries of pain.
⠀
By now, his shoulder injury had become so severe that he couldn't move it, leaving his arm hanging at his side.
He could not close his grip.
His palms hung open with
his shoulder unmovable.
as the cold crept into him.
⠀
Vietra lowered her barrier completely, but her mind was elsewhere.
⠀
The sight of Leo's mana terrified her. She struggled to approach him.
⠀
With her body hesitating as her mana reacted faintly and defensively, she realized. 'I'm far behind him. Just what is he?'
⠀
Walking slowly, she took his hand, digesting what she should say.
⠀
"Leo, are you alright? Can you hang on!" she asked, her expression full of worry.
⠀
Holding back his pain, he reassured her. "Yeah... you don't have to worry. I've endured much worse." Leo chuckled to himself, remembering the training he went through for years.
⠀
"It looks like the exam is over." She heaved a sigh of relief at his words, her fears now mixing with relief.
⠀
"Do you think it has anything to do with you and that alpha wolf?" she asked, confused by the early announcement.
⠀
"I don't know. Maybe," Leo responded, attempting a shrug of his shoulders before letting out a wince of pain.
⠀
Clicking his tongue, he sensed the faint mana fluctuating in the sky. Just in time, Professor Arnold landed next to them.
⠀
Falling from the sky, he landed with his body straight. The pressure caused a small dent in the ground.
⠀
"Professor? Why are you here?" Vietra jumped up in surprise, only now sensing his presence.
⠀
"I've always been here. Follow me. It is time to leave the forest." True to his nature, Arnold responded without emotion. Nothing showed on his face as he began leading them.
⠀
He ended any hope of a conversation.
⠀
Such scenes happened across the entire forest, with the professors escorting the students back outside.
⠀
Walking back toward where they entered, Leo noticed the headmaster's unique presence.
⠀
Then the announcement was heard again.
⠀
"The exam period is over. Due to an unexpected conflict erupting in the forest and judging it to be dangerous, all students will be escorted by the professors to ensure their safety." Headmaster Alpheus's voice rippled calmly through the woods.
⠀
Students began emerging from different directions, gathering near the edge of the forest and guided by the professors leading them.
⠀
Some were injured. Most were shaken by the experiences they went through.
⠀
The students, hearing the announcement, fell into whispers about what caused it.
⠀
"Hey, what do you think caused the conflict?" a male student asked as he nudged a close female student.
⠀
"It's probably a fight over territory between beasts, maybe because of the influx of students into the forest?" The girl raised her arms in confusion.
⠀
Different people cast different glances at Leo.
⠀
One was hostile. One was fearful as it looked at him. Another glance was impressed.
⠀
As they were speaking, people began noticing the blood-soaked Leo.
⠀
"What happened to him?"
"Hey... isn't that the Grand Duke's son?"
"God, what the hell happened to him?"
⠀
The crowd of students was in awe. His head was held high, seemingly not feeling the pain.
⠀
"Get out of the way!" A shout came from behind the crowd. A hand split the crowd apart, opening the way to enter.
⠀
A man with soft features appeared, running toward Leo.
⠀
Reaching Leo, his steps halted. Breathing heavily, he finally spoke.
⠀
"Sit down! How are you even standing up?" the man screamed in Leo's face.
⠀
Forcing Leo to sit, he raised both of his open palms. "Heal!" he chanted.
⠀
A vivid green light burst out. An immense heat washed over him as the pain dulled unevenly and blanketed Leo's body.
⠀
Leo rolled his shoulders. Externally he had healed, but the intense internal exhaustion remained.
⠀
His wounds healed at a remarkable speed. They were still aching, but the magic had turned his open wound into a closed one.
⠀
It made it look like he had reverted Leo's shoulders back to their former state.
⠀
"Tha-" Opening his mouth about to apologize, Leo was quickly shut down by the man.
⠀
"Shut up! What were you thinking, parading around with an open wound like this? Did you want it to get infected?" A barrage of unstoppable words came out.
⠀
"...I apologize. I was locked in combat and had to force mana through it, which made it worse." Leo apologized, internally in shock at the man's words.
⠀
"Never mind that. Do you know that an attack like that would have rendered others crippled?" The man was in disbelief at Leo's relaxed posture.
⠀
He pulled Leo away from the others, whispering.
⠀
"You're Leo, right? You saw the abnormal behavior of the beasts in the forest, right? Well, some people have been saying you are the cause." He stopped, taking in a breath.
⠀
He checked his surroundings, lowering his voice as if hiding his words.
⠀
"If I were you, I would stick to the academy and leave the forest without waiting."
⠀
"Uh, alright. Thank you for your advice. Can you tell me your name, mister?" Leo asked, curiosity flashing on his face.
⠀
"I'm Sebastian, the head healer in the academy. If you need anything, come see me in the infirmary." Sebastian smiled and told him.
⠀
Just then, Arnold came back.
⠀
"Let's go. It's about time we leave this forest." Not sparing a glance toward Sebastian, he moved ahead.
⠀
As they walked, the dense trees representing the forest's barriers appeared.
⠀
The fights that happened here were still fresh in his memory. The smell of burning wood filled him.
⠀
'...I've paid so much and went through such experiences.'
⠀
Finally leaving, he turned back for a look.
⠀
'I'm finally leaving. After nearly three days, I'll actually join the academy now.' The thought made him ecstatic.
⠀
Looking toward the forest where he faced death, Leo gazed at the trees and the dense undergrowth.
⠀
He would be missing these morning, calming scenes. Although he faced the most danger here, he saw through his ways instead of locking away his former self.
⠀
'I'm going to embrace it and become a better person!' A hopeful thought blossomed in his mind.
⠀
Turning his gaze back forward, Leo raised his eyes and saw him.
⠀
Headmaster Alpheus was far away in the distance, looking directly at Leo, evaluating him.
⠀
The headmaster's eyes were twinkling, as if seeing a rough diamond.