Logan stared blankly at Allen, too shocked to say anything.
"...Are you serious?" Logan asked, not believing it. "I’m not a Silver Core yet."
Allen smiled, giving a small nod as he walked back to his desk.
"Quite serious," he said, sitting back down in his chair.
Locking eyes with Logan, he continued.
"Now all that’s left—is your answer."
Many thoughts raced through Logan’s head. Though, he didn’t have to think for long before nodding.
"Yes," Logan said. "Yes, I would gladly learn under you."
Allen smiled.
"Good," he nodded.
"I’ll let Erik send you some details later," he continued, smiling slightly. "Is there anything you need from me right now?"
Logan opened his mouth, then closed it again.
He wasn’t sure what he’d expected... but it definitely wasn’t this.
"Honestly... I thought there’d be more to it," Logan admitted.
Pushing aside a hologram on his desk, Allen glanced at Logan.
"There usually is," he said, leaning back in his chair. "But I’m not interested in those ceremonies."
Logan gave a small nod, before thinking about what he really needed.
"Can I ask you something?" he said, having contemplated.
Allen nodded. "Go ahead."
"The dungeon incident," Logan started. "Derek Alvarez, the illegal bait, the recording device... you’ve probably heard about it."
Allen’s expression didn’t change—he’d likely expected the question already. He tapped his fingers on the desk a few times before answering.
"I’ve looked at it," he answered, pausing.
Logan waited patiently, curious.
"And I’m not going to get involved," Allen said bluntly. "Not unless there’s concrete evidence or I’m forced to."
"This thing between you, the Alvarez family, and the Imperial Church?" he shrugged. "Sort it out however you like. Just don’t be sloppy."
Logan nodded slowly, the answer not unexpected at all.
"Understood," he said, falling quiet.
Logan stayed quiet for a moment, deep in thought.
Then he looked up.
"What about training?" he asked. "Will I get taught by you privately... or is there something else I need to prepare for?"
Allen tilted his head, staring at Logan.
"Those details will be sent to you by Erik later," he said, waving him off. "But don’t expect me to hold your hand as you swing your spear."
"I’ll help with your breakthroughs, give you a few of my techniques, and occasionally give you some pointers."
Logan gave a nod, smiling slightly.
"Thank you," Logan said, bowing slightly. "That is more than I could’ve wished for."
"No it’s not," Allen said, shaking his head. "Now get moving. You’ve got work to do."
The doors behind him shifted open again with Erik waiting for him outside.
Logan smiled as he left the room, the doors shifting shut with a loud bang behind him.
Erik looked at him somewhat strangely, but Logan ignored it.
As Logan descended several flights of large stone stairs, he headed straight for his room while completely lost in thought.
’I didn’t expect this so soon,’ he thought, replaying the conversation in his head.
He naturally understood whom Allen was talking about when gesturing towards his arm and mentioning the favor.
’It has to be Livia’s father,’ Logan thought, heading through the corridor to his room. ’I didn’t think saving her would lead to this much.’
Not only did he manage to shorten the time it would take him to reach Silver Core by two weeks, he also managed to make several allies and accomplish his main goal for going to the university.
"I should save people more often," Logan chuckled.
Seeing the door to his room in the distance, Logan noticed several familiar people standing outside it.
’They were waiting for me?’ Logan thought, surprised to see Grant and the others outside.
Approaching them, he smiled warmly.
"Good to see all of you," Logan greeted, waving his remaining arm at them.
"Logan!" Grant shouted, turning around.
His eyes widened as he pointed at the loosely flapping sleeve on Logan’s right arm.
"Dude... your arm!"
The others froze as well, their gazes dropping to the empty sleeve at Logan’s side.
A brief silence passed.
Logan shrugged with a faint smirk. "It’s just an arm. I’ve got another."
"Don’t joke like that," Robert said, frowning. "What the hell happened in there?"
Logan let out a sigh.
"It’s a long story," he said, shaking his head. "Derek did something dirty, but I can’t tell you the details until the university has decided on how to continue."
"I knew it," Ethan shouted, clenching his fist. "The rumors couldn’t have been true."
Logan turned to Ethan, confused.
"What rumors?"
Robert’s expression darkened slightly before he spoke.
"Right after he left the dungeon, Derek started spreading a story," he said quietly. "He claims you baited a pack of C-rank panthers and panicked. Said Livia went in to save you... and never made it back."
Digesting the information, Logan’s expression changed rapidly from anger to annoyance.
’So that’s why the upperclassmen were staring at me,’ he thought, disgusted. ’He’s flipping the story to ruin my name and save his own.’
Logan let out a cold laugh as he turned to his friends.
"Don’t worry about it," he said. "I’ll deal with it in class tomorrow."
Grant stepped forward, anger visible in his eyes. "Do you want me to help you clear your name?"
"No need," Logan shook his head. "That’ll happen by itself once Livia comes back."
Grant nodded, his anger slowly disappearing as a grin spread on his face.
"So," he said, patting Logan on his back. "Anything you need to tell us about you and Livia?"
Logan also smiled again, shaking his head.
They talked for a couple of hours, discussing their own dungeon trips and results before each headed off to do his own thing.
Entering his room, Logan sat down on his couch.
"Let’s double-check everything," he muttered, switching on his hologram projector.
He searched around the university website with four simple words.
Official duels between students.
"The perfect stage to clear my name... and return the favor." Logan grinned.