Chapter 9 - The Black Crest
Yesterday had ended peacefully enough after the meeting with Cedric.
By lunchtime, Lyra had officially reached a conclusion.
Valmere Academy was designed by people who personally hated students.
There was simply no other explanation.
"You look exhausted," Amy observed while sitting across from her in the cafeteria.
"I crossed the academy four times before noon."
"That sounds healthy."
"It was not healthy."
Amy failed to look sympathetic.
The classes themselves weren't even the problem.
The problem was the schedule.
The Magic Division and Combat Division overlapped constantly, forcing Lyra to sprint between opposite sides of the academy like someone fleeing debt collectors.
And apparently—
this would continue every single day.
Amy listened while casually eating before suddenly brightening.
"Oh right. Cedric mentioned someone yesterday."
Lyra looked up slightly.
"...Kaelan."
"Exactly."
Amy pointed at her proudly like she had solved a national crisis.
"He handles scheduling issues sometimes through the student council."
Lyra remained unconvinced.
"That still involves meeting the Black Crest."
"You say that like they're a criminal organization."
Amy paused thoughtfully.
"...Actually, from the rumors—"
Before Lyra could reject the entire idea peacefully, Amy already stood up.
"Come on."
"You move without thinking."
"And you think without moving."
Neither statement was inaccurate.
The upper academy corridors felt noticeably quieter than the crowded lower sections.
Fewer students wandered through these halls, and the atmosphere itself felt calmer somehow.
More controlled.
Eventually, Amy stopped before a dark wooden door marked with a silver insignia.
A black crown wrapped in thorn-like vines.
The Black Crest emblem.
Lyra immediately wanted to leave.
Amy knocked anyway.
A few seconds later—
the door opened.
Lucian appeared.
And immediately smiled the moment he saw Lyra standing there.
"Well," he said lightly, "this is interesting."
Lyra stared at him flatly.
"Is 'this is interesting' some kind of Black Crest greeting, or do you specifically save it for me?"
"That sounded slightly sarcastic."
"It wasn't."
Amy stepped forward proudly.
"We came to meet Kaelan."
Lucian placed a dramatic hand over his chest.
"You came here voluntarily and immediately asked for another man."
"Yes."
"That hurt me emotionally."
"You'll recover quickly."
Lucian somehow looked delighted instead of offended.
Before he could continue speaking nonsense—
another voice interrupted calmly from inside.
"Lucian."
The teasing stopped instantly.
Not completely.
But enough.
Lucian sighed dramatically before stepping aside.
"She's here for you," he announced toward the room behind him. "Personally, I feel deeply betrayed."
"...Then let her enter," Kaelan replied calmly.
Amy immediately pushed Lyra inside like a ceremonial sacrifice.
Traitor.
The room itself looked surprisingly normal.
Large bookshelves lined the walls while academy reports, maps, and documents covered the central table.
Near the windows, Seren sat lazily flipping through a book.
Rivan sat nearby aggressively fighting against a mechanical puzzle cube with the intensity of someone battling for his life.
And near the far corner—
Erix sat quietly reading.
His gaze lifted briefly toward Lyra when she entered.
Cold.
Sharp.
Unreadable.
Then he immediately returned to his book.
Like she wasn't important enough to hold his attention for longer than two seconds.
For some reason—
that annoyed her instantly.
Meanwhile, Kaelan stood near the center table organizing several papers.
Unlike the others, his presence felt calm.
Balanced.
Like someone permanently in control of both himself and the room around him.
"Cedric informed me about your scheduling problem," Kaelan said calmly.
Straight to the point.
Good.
"Come please have a seat"
Lucian tried showing his gentlemen side and took a chair out for Lyra to sit, but keeping him standing there she sat in the chair close to that.
Rivan and Seren chuckled after seeing that.
Lyra ignored them and explained the situation to Kaelan.
The overlapping classes.
The impossible timing.
The constant running between divisions.
By the end, even Lucian looked mildly disturbed.
"That sounds genuinely terrible."
"It is terrible."
Rivan looked up from the cube.
"Why would the academy even schedule it like that?"
"No one expected a dual-affinity student this year," Kaelan answered simply.
That unfortunately made sense.
Kaelan remained quiet for a moment afterward, thinking.
Then finally—
"There is one possible solution."
Everyone looked toward him.
"You can continue attending first-year magic classes normally," Kaelan explained, "but attend second-year combat practical sessions instead."
Lyra frowned slightly.
"Wouldn't second-year classes be different?"
"Not significantly for practical combat," Kaelan replied calmly. "Most first-year training focuses on fundamentals anyway. Astral reinforcement. Weapon control. Sparring basics."
Seren nodded lazily from the side.
"You'll mostly just suffer physically with older students instead."
"That is concerningly honest," Lyra admitted.
"I believe in transparency."
Kaelan ignored both of them.
"The second-year combat schedule takes place later in the day. It removes most of your conflicts immediately."
Lyra considered the idea quietly.
It actually sounded manageable.
Before she could answer—
Lucian suddenly froze.
Then slowly turned toward Kaelan with visible betrayal.
"...Wait."
Kaelan glanced toward him calmly.
"She'll attend second-year combat classes?"
"Yes."
A painful silence followed.
Lucian looked genuinely devastated.
"No."
Seren immediately looked entertained already.
"No?" Kaelan repeated calmly.
"You're telling me she's going to spend all her time in second-year combat..."
Lucian slowly turned toward Erix dramatically.
"...and I won't personally witness the drama because I chose the Magic Division like an educated citizen?"
Rivan blinked once.
"That's what upset you?"
"Yes."
"Oh, tragic indeed," Rivan replied with a grin.
Lucian ignored him completely.
"I made one responsible academic decision and now destiny punishes me."
His dramatic suffering finally seemed to irritate Erix slightly.
Seren quietly lowered his book halfway, already entertained.
"Don't worry," he said calmly. "I will personally observe the chaos on your behalf. Am I not generous?"
Lucian looked horrified.
"Generous, my foot."
After a brief pause, he pointed accusingly toward Kaelan.
"I reject this decision."
Meanwhile—
Erix still hadn't reacted once besides looking increasingly annoyed by the conversation.
Which somehow made the entire situation worse.
Lucian suddenly pointed toward him instead.
"And you."
Erix finally looked up slightly.
"What?"
"Why are you so silent?"
"What exactly do you expect me to say?"
"It means something when you're this quiet."
Lyra watched the entire interaction silently.
This group genuinely made no sense.
Outside the academy, students spoke about the Black Crest like terrifying legends.
Meanwhile inside—
Lucian was mourning lost gossip opportunities.
Rivan was still losing against the cube.
Seren looked seconds away from laughing.
Kaelan managed the chaos with the calm patience of someone already exhausted by them years ago.
And Erix—
Erix somehow looked irritated simply by existing near everyone else.
Lucian suddenly turned back toward Lyra.
"You understand my suffering here, right?"
"That you talk too much?"
"I was going to say that I'll miss all the drama."
"There is no drama."
Lucian smiled knowingly.
"That confidence is adorable."
Lyra understood what Kaelan was going through and what he must be enduring handling this bunch of kids.
Eventually, Kaelan pulled one of the academy schedules closer before speaking again.
"If you agree, I'll submit the request tonight. Instructor Bradmore should approve it without issue."
After another moment of thought—
Lyra nodded slightly.
"...Alright."
Kaelan gave a small nod in return.
"Then report to the second-year combat hall tomorrow after your morning magic classes end."
Lucian sighed like a man experiencing personal tragedy.
"This is unbelievably unfair."
Seren looked entirely too pleased beside him.
"I think this arrangement benefits me greatly."
"You're a terrible friend."
"I'm aware."
For the first time—
Lyra almost smiled.
Almost.
And Erix noticed.
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