Doggone Academy

Chapter 98 The Shadow (21)

Damian approached another nearby spirit. The entity, making a feeble attempt at retreat, was cut down at the ankles and swiftly captured by the head.

Damian proceeded to methodically dismantle the black spirit. He did so thoroughly, inflicting pain and torment.

Once more, horrifying screams filled the air, headache-inducing to listen to.

And the more Luna observed this strange scene, the ominous energy pressing down on her began to wane.

The black spirits, in desperation, began to flee from Damian, but he had no intention of letting them escape.

Damian nonchalantly picked up the shadowy connections that trailed on the ground and started pulling them one by one. The entities desperately clawed at the earth as if being dragged to hell, but to no avail.

The black spirit, helplessly drawn in, could only be mercilessly butchered by Damian.

What on earth was Damians true nature to so overwhelmingly dominate these creatures?

One couldnt be sure of his powers, but it was evident that Silveryn did not take him in as her disciple for no reason. To Luna, Damian was just as special and extraordinary a being as Silveryn.

Luna felt her body becoming lighter and the curses shackles fading away.

And among the multitude of thought-forms hiding in the forest and witnessing the event, terror spread.

Only then did Luna come to fully understand the meaning of the play.

Those thought-forms targeting her were the actual audience of this play.

They were shown an example of what fate awaits those who meddle with the wrong person.

About a dozen black spirits had been torn apart by Damian, leaving only one remaining.

Damian dispatched the last one with the same merciless efficiency. It was as though he aimed to show the circling thought-forms an unforgettable spectacle.

The excruciating screams of the last black spirit went on for what seemed an eternity.

Having disassembled the last one completely, the sword in Damians hand disappeared.

At last, it was all over.

Damian seemed to feel dizzy, for he staggered and finally slumped down, leaning against the Guardian Tree.

He caught his breath and remarked,

Its nice and quiet now.

The oppressive energy that had been crushing her was gone. Not only that, but the energy of the thought-forms looming nearby had been cleanly erased.

With a gust of wind, the sound of the trees brushing against each other could be heard from the forest. It was a sound that had gone unnoticed for so long. The too-quiet world had dulled her senses, which now stirred back to life.

Luna felt her legs give way and she too collapsed in place.

Then, emotions long suppressed deep in her heart flooded out like a tidal wave. She didnt want to show them, but she couldnt control it.

Luna covered her face and burst into tears.

Yes its nice and quiet

***

It was a peaceful evening. Trisha was propping her chin on the dining table, staring absentmindedly into space, while Liria sat demurely across from her, hands placed neatly on her lap.

The two barely exchanged a word. An awkward silence persisted as they waited for Damian.

As promised, Damian was making a Sankrotis-style apple pie in the kitchen.

After a long and awkward wait, Damian entered with a steamy apple pie on a tray.

The faces of both brightened simultaneously as they saw Damian.

Damian placed the apple pie at the center of the table and then moved to fetch the remaining kitchenware.

As Liria rose to help, Damian firmly told her,

Its fine, just sit down.

Once he left the table again, their faces lost their liveliness as before.

And when he returned with plates and utensils, their expressions brightened anew.

You waited a long time. Lets eat.

Damian quartered the pie and placed a slice on Trishas plate, then two on Lirias.

Trishas face, full of anticipation, suddenly soured.

Why do I only get one piece?

Liria went through a lot to get the ingredients.

The task had been assigned to Trisha, but with no knowledge about procuring ingredients, it ultimately fell to Liria.

With a hint of pride, Liria cut a slice of apple pie and took a bite. She chewed and said,

Its no big deal. Thats my job, after all!

Lirias confident remark subtly irritated Trisha, who could do nothing about it. After all, Trisha hadnt really done anything.

Damian asked Liria,

How does it taste?

Mmm! Its really, really delicious!

Trisha bit into her pie with cheeks slightly puffed, showing a lukewarm response as she chewed half-heartedly.

Her expression turned sullen, and Damian quickly added another slice to her plate, saying,

If its not enough, Ill make more, so eat to your hearts content. Theres still plenty of ingredients left.

Her expression remained glum, but the pie seemed to taste good as Trishas fork moved a bit faster. A quick intervention prevented her mood from further deteriorating.

Liria paused her eating to ask Damian,

Arent you going to have some?

Im not hungry.

Damian seemed content just watching them eat.

Before Liria could initiate further conversation, Trisha jumped in.

Damian, were assigning groups for joint lessons tomorrow. Havent you decided yet?

The joint lesson, now just one day away, had not revealed much about what would be evaluated or the rewards.

Only rumors circulated that the group assignment for the joint lesson would be random.

Ill just go with whatever group Im assigned to.

Despite knowing that teaming up with Luna may yield a favorable start, Damian had not planned for it.

Luna still needed to rest, so her participation in the joint lessons was uncertain. Moreover, with her phobia of men not completely cured, suggesting she participate in a camping activity was out of the question. He did not wish to see her reluctantly accept an offer from Damian just because she owed him.

For Damian, the best choice was to quietly step aside. His initial goal had been to become the Fool, and in that sense, he had achieved what he wanted.

Have you talked about it with Cecil?

Yeah, but it seems difficult. I talked up your good points to her, but shes not planning on changing group members. Even if a slot opens up, Candy will be first in line, not you.

It was a tacit promise that Damian would join if a spot became available.

However, Damian had no intention of participating in the group activities with a mask on. Trisha agreed with this point. There was too much risk of his identity being exposed through various activities, including the camp.

Besides, there was no real chance for an opening. Damian remembered Cecil as someone who wouldnt abandon a friend just for immediate gains. Had it been the case, she wouldve already joined a group of top-ranking students with similar academic levels.

Not only for the joint lesson but there would likely be many more opportunities to form groups in the future. Damian felt the need for dependable and trustworthy companions.

Liria tentatively threw out a question.

Um Im just curious, but is someones real name actually Candy?

Trisha replied as though it was a triumphant catch,

Thats grown-ups talk children shouldnt butt in!

At this, Liria glared at Trisha with narrowed eyes.

Damian placed another piece of apple pie on Lirias plate, soothingly saying,

Candy is just a nickname. A nickname.

While the absence of strange quirks was a priority for potential comrades, finding such a person amidst the accomplished ranks of Eternia was a problem.

***

The dean of the Magic Department, Dunkel, sat at his desk in the office, receiving reports from the librarian at the Philaion Grand Library.

The Nameless Knight Order has agreed to participate in escorting the joint lessons.

The Nameless Knight Order, composed of Masters Class graduates, had decided to stay at Eternia for some time. Although this decision was partly to bolster Eternias forces, it was largely due to the cessation of their activities in the north because of unseen dangers.

Well done.

Most of Eternias core personnel were dispatched elsewhere, leading to shortage at home. The joint lesson practices would take place in the vast exteriors, requiring additional guards along the borders of the training grounds. Now that the Nameless Knight Order would assist, there was no need to worry about this aspect anymore.

Also, the Guardian Tree is recovering quickly.

Ah, Ive heard about that.

The Magic Association officially named the entities parasitizing the Guardian Tree and Luna as Shadow Spirits.

They had been identified as the culprits that forced the Nameless Knight Order to halt their activities in the north.

The curious thing was that even before substantial research could begin, a first-year from the Masters Class took it upon himself to resolve the issue.

Damian was his name, right?

That is correct.

Dunkels eyes deepened.

Silveryns disciple was, if to be precise, his great-grand-disciple. Dunkel had always been curious about the kind of disciples Silveryn would have. He had vaguely imagined someone of similar grand-magician caliber, but reality was different.

According to Masters Class reports, in almost every aspect, Damian was Silveryns opposite. His gender, for starters, and rather than a grand-magician, his talent for magic and spirit arts was almost nonexistent. His personality differed completely as well.

He had found it odd when he heard Silveryns disciple was a boy who wielded a sword, but now his perspective had changed. How Silveryn came across him, her luck and judgment, was extraordinarily exceptional.

He recalled the scene of the previous battle with the dark mage in his mind. Corpses, leeches, a sea of blood, hills piled with ghoul carcasses, wraiths floating in the sky. It was a vision of hell.

That scene was not something a seventeen-year-old boy could handle. And yet he had held the line and forced the dark mage to withdraw, surviving that hell.

Moreover, he had vanquished the residual shadow spirits to liberate the Guardian Tree.

To simply call it exceptional talent was inadequate. He was beyond singularity, peerless.