The head of the Deukulan family, the foremost mage lineage in the Eastern Continent.
His visit caused a stir in the already chaotic atmosphere of the academy.
"The head of the Deukulan family is here at the academy?"
"Really?"
Due to the suspension of all classes, the students wandered aimlessly around the campus, their ears perked up at the rare visit.
"Strengthen the defenses."
"Show no sign of disorder."
The knights dispatched by the empire drilled the soldiers to be fully prepared. Even the parents of the affected students, who had come to visit, were kept outside, as the empire's soldiers tightly controlled the academy. This applied to the students wandering the campus as well.
Amidst this,
Clack, clack.
A carriage crossed the main road of the academy.
Its appearance was nothing special.
Just a typical noble carriage, adorned with neither excessive nor insufficient decorations.
The carriage moved at a steady pace, neither too fast nor too slow, along the road lined with the empire's soldiers.
After some time,
Neigh, neigh.
The horses let out a faint whinny.
The carriage had stopped in front of the Sage Hall, located at the heart of the academy, where successive chancellors had resided since the founding, the very core of the academy's core.
"..."
The professors of the academy greeted the carriage.
At the forefront was Chancellor Schwerz.
Behind him stood the basic class professors, and knights surrounded the open space.
While there were more professors at the academy, only those involved in the Trial Tower incident were present.
The head of the Deukulan family.
It was unclear why he had come to the academy at this time, but it was ultimately judged to be related to the Trial Tower incident.
On the other side,
"..."
There was only the coachman.
Despite arriving at the academy, the carriage door did not open.
However, no one gathered there waited for someone to step out of the carriage.
They all knew.
The man with jet-black hair.
The coachman, who sat slanted in the carriage, loosely holding the reins, exuded a noble demeanor.
He was none other than Fahern von Deukulan, the head of the Deukulan family.
A thick silence hung between the two sides.
In the midst of this,
'...'
Chancellor Schwerz looked at Fahern with a curious eye.
'This young man is the current head of the Deukulan family.'
Was it his fame? Or his infamy?
Though it was the first time he had seen Fahern's face, he had heard many stories about him.
A man who, at the age of thirty, had earned the title of Archmage, a distinction reserved for the pinnacle of mages.
A prodigy of demonic talent.
However, what was more widely known than his brilliant talent was the increased tyranny of the Deukulan family since he became head.
A true malefactor.
However, it was impossible to verify the truth of the rumors at their first meeting.
There was one thing he could clearly sense.
'Quite... a mischievous fellow.'
Even as he entered the grounds of the academy, he did not touch the earth.
'All are equal before learning.'
Under the teachings of the founding chancellor, even the royal family would soil their feet.
His arrogance was unparalleled, yet it could not be stopped.
The head of the Deukulan family.
One of the pinnacles, an Archmage.
'By sitting on the driver's seat and holding the humble reins himself, lowering himself, who could say anything?'
While the academy's tradition was trampled by his hooves, it left no room for the other side to challenge his attitude.
This action did not bring any political advantage.
It was simply...
'A bad taste. Yes, a bad taste.'
He must have been a twisted individual.
On the other hand, his expression and the unhidden nobility in his demeanor were undeniable.
Schwerz's final impression of Fahern was this.
'A dangerous man.'
Such a person could not be trusted, even as an ally. And as an enemy, he was even more terrifying.
A being that transcended humanity.
Just as he thought this,
"So, Head, what brings you to the academy?"
Schwerz broke the thick silence.
However, Fahern, the head of the Deukulan family, did not respond, but stared at him intently.
After a moment,
"Hmm..."
The head stroked his chin.
"Still not, huh."
His low voice was incomprehensible.
What was still not?
Doubts spread among the onlookers, but Fahern did not give them time to multiply.
"I heard the news. The Trial Tower was taken over by some vermin, right?"
Schwerz glared at Fahern without responding.
'This guy...'
His intentions were unclear.
The Trial Tower takeover.
The identity of the intruders had not been officially revealed.
However, the empire's investigators and the professors had their suspicions.
Deukulan. Surely, in some way, that name was behind it.
The visit of the head of the Deukulan family. The empire's knights and the academy reacted so sensitively to what seemed like a minor event because of this background.
Moreover—
Schwerz himself knew about the background.
'Vimar.'
The loyal fanatics of Deukulan.
Though it had not been verified yet, the empire's investigative power could uncover the truth within a few days.
Originally, it would have taken longer due to the various entities bowing to Deukulan's shadow, but once a specific target was identified, it would be easy to find.
However, what was the purpose of this public declaration? It was incomprehensible.
Regardless of his intentions,
"Head, did you come here just to spout nonsense?"
Schwerz shed a bit of his chancellor's facade and smiled menacingly.
The magical currents around him rose naturally.
Even the professors behind him stiffened slightly.
"There's no way."
"Then what?"
The head of the Deukulan family, Fahern, matched the tension with a calm demeanor and responded to Schwerz's question with an action.
Swish.
A light flick of his finger.
Crack, crunch.
The ancient carriage, emblazoned with the Deukulan crest, disintegrated as if being dismantled.
"!"
The empire's knights immediately drew their swords, but only Fahern, Schwerz, and the professors remained calm.
When the carriage was completely disassembled,
"Take a look."
The head of the Deukulan family gestured to the wooden crates packed inside the carriage.
"Chancellor."
"Go ahead."
After seeking permission from Schwerz, a knight walked towards the carriage.
Just as he was about to open one of the stacked crates,
"Open the largest one."
The head of the Deukulan family added.
The knight looked at him for a moment, checked his protective artifact, and opened the largest and most ornate crate.
Immediately,
"!"
The knight, eyes wide in disbelief, stared at the contents.
Schwerz, frowning, asked the knight,
"Tell me, what's inside?"
"It's... "
The knight, stammering, could not continue.
At that moment, Fahern's voice was heard.
"I was worried you might not recognize the face, but it seems you do."
In a calm voice,
"Since the academy couldn't figure it out, I took matters into my own hands. I caught the vermin who attacked the academy. And..."
However, what he said next was far from calm.
"The head of these vermin, the head of Vimar."
His words carried many implications.
The wooden crates stacked in the carriage.
From their size, it was not hard to guess what they contained.
"..."
"..."
A chilling silence fell.
The head of the Deukulan family was saying that he had personally beheaded the bloodline of the Vimar family, who had sworn loyalty to his house.
There were about thirty crates.
This number was enough to wipe out not only the direct line of Vimar but also its collateral branches.
* * *
In a building near the Sage Hall.
Aster stood on the rooftop, where he could see the meeting between the professors and Fahern.
'...'
Though the distance was too great to hear the sounds, the situation was clear.
The knights shouting at the carriage. The professors, with stern faces, watching Fahern.
Amidst this, the senior was half-unveiling the chancellor's mask, staring at Fahern.
'So, he did behead the Vimar family.'
A bold move.
However, considering the Fahern of the previous life, it was not particularly surprising.
A cold-blooded man who would extend a hand even to those who had crushed his own bloodline, if it could make Deukulan great.
That was the essence of Fahern.
The Vimar family, which had almost provided a pretext to tear Deukulan apart, would not be a big deal to behead.
However,
'Too convenient.'
The senior had leaked information about the Vimar family to Fahern just this morning.
Within a month, the truth would be revealed, and after that, the empire, Dina, Blando, and other groups of affected students would unite to crush them.
The anger would not be limited to Vimar alone.
It would extend to Deukulan.
Surely, they would reach out to Deukulan as well.
But, so conveniently, today?
'Is it good luck? Or are you pathologically meticulous?'
Or...
The professors' eyes swept over the scene.
But only for a moment.
'No, it doesn't matter.'
Aster soon gathered his thoughts.
The best scenario would be for the empire, noble families, and other houses to unite and tear Deukulan apart.
However, this was merely a beneficial side effect, not something essential.
So...
'No risk, high return.'
That was all it was.
Since the risk increased exponentially if he were to take action, he simply observed, and there was no regret in this situation.
However, Aster had a specific reason for coming to this spot.
'...'
His sharp eyes scanned Fahern.
Though he could not use his senses to scan Fahern without being detected, he did not need them to feel Fahern's presence.
After all, from the moment Fahern entered the academy, he had never hidden his presence.
In fact, he had openly displayed it.
Neither exaggerating nor showing off, just as he was.
However, his presence was truly...
Monstrous.
Despite the long time it would take to earn the title of the strongest in history.
How could he be so terrifying?
But why?
'Fahern...'
A deep smile spread across Aster's lips.
'So, you were human too.'
Just as he had declined over time, so had Fahern, perhaps even more.
A being that had once been incomprehensible, now seemed like a distant mountain.
'But still...'
It was only for now.
'Maybe in this life, I can twist your arm.'
Aster turned and left.
With one leap, he crossed the building, and before his third leap, he had disappeared into the distance.
When he arrived at the temporary lodging for the affected students,