Sylvie loved her family deeply.
They had given her everything—unconditional love, the freedom to chase her dreams, and support that never wavered.
But sometimes, their protectiveness became overwhelming. Especially when it came to her elder brother, Augustus.
So when her teacher told her that her family had come to visit, panic gripped her chest. And the moment she saw Augustus's familiar face, her anxiety shot through the roof.
She had expected this. She knew them better than anyone. The moment news spread that the Academy had been ambushed, she knew they would come.
But no amount of mental preparation helped when Augustus suddenly rose from his seat and spoke—
"You all knew what was going on, and yet you stayed silent. You risked the lives of countless students… all because of your pride."
There was no hesitation. He didn't wait for explanations. He accused them, straight to their faces.
His anger wasn't about what had happened. It was about what could have happened.
The room fell into a heavy silence under the weight of the prince's fury.
The Chief Advisor stood quietly to the side, watching.
Ariana's sharp gaze cut through the tension, her rising aura making even the Captain of the Imperial Legion stand on edge.
Gilbert nervously wiped the sweat off his forehead, while Roman stood ready, tense and focused, prepared to jump in if the Headmistress decided to retaliate.
Before Ariana could react, a warm hand gently pressed over hers.
Startled, she turned her sharp gaze toward the man beside her.
Adrian gave her a soft smile and a small nod, as if to say, "Let me handle this."
To everyone's relief, Ariana listened. She leaned back slightly, allowing him to take the lead.
With composed grace, Adrian crossed one leg over the other and spoke in a calm, clear voice.
"No offense intended," he began, "but may I ask Sir Edward—where exactly was the Acolytes' hideout found?"
Edward, the First Prince, paused for a second, surprised. Adrian had been the one held captive in that very place, after all. Still, he answered, "It was inside the capital."
Adrian gave a slight nod. "Then we must face the truth. These magicians have dug themselves deep, right into the heart of our nation. That's not something we can afford to treat lightly."
Then, locking eyes with Augustus, who was still brimming with anger, Adrian added, "So keeping that in mind, could we really risk alerting the capital? What if even one of their spies caught wind that we were already aware of their ambush?"
Augustus scoffed. "You underestimate us, Professor. We wouldn't have let them find out—even if you had informed us."
His tone dropped dangerously low. "Don't try to cover up her mistake."
Adrian didn't flinch. "I'm not covering for anyone. In fact, it was my decision. I advised Ariana not to inform the capital."
The room stirred. Edward blinked in disbelief, and the two academy staff members exchanged shocked glances.
Augustus's voice rumbled. "Then you'll take responsibility for the damage that was done."
Adrian tilted his head slightly, clearly baffled. "You mean… the scars on her arms and face?"
Sylvie had a few marks from the cursed rain, but they would heal in days with proper treatment.
Still looking at Augustus with that same expression of mild disbelief, Adrian said, "If that is what you're worried about, then—pardon me, Your Highness—but perhaps you should take your sister back home."
"You…!" Augustus nearly exploded.
Adrian raised both hands, calm yet firm. "Please, let me finish."
His voice gained a more serious edge. "When she chose to come here, she understood the path she was walking. This isn't a safe haven. It's a place where warriors are trained. Future public servants, defenders of the people."
He turned slightly and gestured to Sylvie. "She came here willing to take that risk. To fight against darkness, to stand against evil. If she's ready to put her life on the line to protect others, who are we to stop her?"
The room fell silent. The weight of his words sank deep into everyone's hearts—most of all, Sylvie's.
Augustus's fury began to fade. The moment the conversation shifted to Sylvie's strength and purpose, something changed in him.
He still burned with concern, but beneath it… was trust.
A trust that ran deeper than words.
Augustus dropped back into his seat, but his sharp glare never left Adrian.
Breaking the silence, Edward spoke with a light sigh, "I apologize for the outburst, Sir Adrian. He gets… a little emotional when it comes to Sylvie."
Adrian let out a small chuckle, clearly unfazed. "Well, that much is obvious."
He didn't take it personally. To Adrian, Augustus was still a child in many ways, and children sometimes threw tantrums.
Being protective was one thing. But when it crossed a line, it stopped being care… and became a burden.
Across the room, Sylvie gave the Professor a grateful look.
She had wanted to step in—desperately. But when she saw how calm and confident he looked, how steady his words had been, she decided not to interfere.
And as expected, Professor Adrian had handled it all effortlessly. He really did have a way with difficult people.
Ariana, now composed again, added in a steady voice, "We had no other choice, Your Highness. One wrong move… and we could've triggered something far worse. We had to be careful."
Edward gave a thoughtful nod. "I trust your judgment, Lady Ariana. Still, I'd like to suggest a few ways to strengthen the Academy's defenses."
Leaning back in his chair, he added with a soft smile, "I know how strong you are. But even you have your limits."
Ariana's eyes lowered slightly. She had heard those words before—from him. Back when they were still students.
And her answer hadn't changed. "I don't like relying on others."
Edward's brows lifted, his smile slowly fading. He remembered. Those quiet days, the late-night duels, the unspoken bond… back when things hadn't yet turned cold between them.
An awkward silence crept into the room. Only Adrian knew the reason.
He had read the story, after all. He knew how close they used to be.
But this wasn't the time for nostalgia. He cleared his throat and shifted the conversation forward.
"I think we need to focus on the forest perimeter. The enemy was able to surround us too easily because the territory is wide and exposed."
Edward blinked, shaken out of his thoughts. "Yes, you're right. Let's go over the defenses…"
°°°°°°°°
A/N:- Adrian...interrupted things. What was on his mind? What could this be?
Thanks for reading.