"What of the safety of my family?"

  They are adventurers who are always moving. They took a break from that life and moved to Viera only the year leading up to the Academy Qualifying Exam for the sake of their children. Now that their burden is gone—transferred to the Academy—they have returned to their true home: a location not detailed on any Academy document or otherwise.

  News of Cedric's death won't reach them until I do, and neither will those criminals.

  "What of the perpetrators of the murder?"

  I'll kill them, of course, but it did not occur to me once that I had not the slightest clue as to who they are—has some spell been inflicted on my mind?

  Possible, but unlikely: they would have killed me when I was vulnerable if they had control over me. But maybe I was never vulnerable; the head instructors have returned, and Alaric Ordain has been guarding the Academy ever since then, paying particularly close attention to Sector 1. That must mean that whoever they are, they must be around the King-Emperor rank if they're not confident enough to take on five King-ranks and the Headmaster at once.

  Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

  But if they weren't confident in taking on the Headmaster, why did they attack that night at all? The Headmaster isn't the type of person to attend drinking parties like that. Is he bedridden? I haven't seen him for months.

  Whatever the case is, I'm safe for the time being.

  First, the obsidian lance is hardly a clue: the perpetrators could change their weapon of choice at any time. Even worse, it could have been borrowed from someone else to frame them.

  The only thing I know is that they have connections—being that they were able to smuggle more than thirty combatants through dozens of barriers in one of the most secure fortresses in the world—and they are powerful: so powerful that they were able to infiltrate the Academy, kill the most important person in our generation—in the midst of several King-rank Mages, two Emperor-rank Mages, as well as hundreds of other dedicated guards—and escape.

  I need to get stronger—much stronger—to reach the level of the one who swung the obsidian lance. I'm sure that's what Vigo meant by the question. If I couldn't win then, charging in mindlessly would just lead to a useless death. I need to be calculated.

  But first, my identity must be complete.

  Right, there was another question.

  "What of my future?"

  What of it?