The Useless Extra Knows It All....But Does He?

The training grounds rang with thunderous cheers, the joy of victory washing over the crowd like a crashing wave. Students clapped each other on the shoulders, some laughing, others crying, their relief spilling out after the long days of struggle.

Yet amidst the storm of voices, Luca's heart was heavy, a shadow growing beneath his chest. His eyes swept over the jubilant faces, but unease gnawed at him, hollowing the cheer into something distant.

Professor Seraphina stepped forward, her heels clicking sharply against the stone as the cheers dimmed into eager silence. She stood beside Luca, her presence radiating calm authority.

"For this exam," she declared, her voice cutting cleanly through the crowd, "there will be no rankings. Each and every one of you performed beyond expectation. Every one of you… passes with excellent results!"

The silence broke like glass, replaced by an explosion of relief and joy. Students leapt to their feet, shouting, cheering louder than ever before. The sound of stomping feet and clapping hands echoed like thunder across the training grounds.

But Luca's smile was faint, almost brittle. While the world roared around him, his thoughts churned darker. His feet carried him past the clapping students, weaving silently through the throng until he reached the far edge of the grounds.

There—leaning casually with arms crossed—stood Eric.

When their eyes met, Eric straightened, plastering a bright smile across his face. "Luca! You recovered! That's great." He scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry I didn't visit you earlier."

Luca didn't return the smile. His gaze was sharp, steady. "What happened to Big Bull and the Saintess? How are they?"

Eric's grin faltered for a fraction of a second before he forced it back into place. His tone turned casual, too casual. "You've just woken up. We can talk about that later."

But Luca didn't budge. His voice grew harder. "Did… something happen to them?"

For the briefest moment, Eric flinched. His eyes darted away, as though the answer was written on the ground. Luca stepped closer, his voice low but unrelenting.

"Eric."

Eric sighed, shoulders sagging as though the weight of truth pressed down on him. "…Big Bull is in custody. For now."

Luca froze. His fists clenched at his sides, nails digging into his palms. I knew it… when I saw how he recovered, I thought something like this would happen. But still…

"What are their plans for him?" Luca demanded, his voice tight.

Eric hesitated, then muttered, "…The academy wants to conduct research. On his origin. And if he's…"

"He's what?" Luca pressed, his voice sharp as steel.

Eric's eyes hardened, though guilt lingered in them. "…If he's harmful for humanity."

The words struck Luca like a blow. Urgency burst from his chest as he stepped closer. "Can I meet him?"

Eric shook his head firmly. "That's not possible right now."

Luca's jaw tightened. "We have to do something about it."

For a moment, silence stretched between them, the cheers of the students around them now sounding unbearably distant. Finally, Luca drew in a sharp breath. "…And the Saintess? What about her?"

At that, Eric's forced composure cracked. His shoulders slumped, his eyes clouded with something heavier—sorrow, maybe even guilt.

"I don't know anything for certain," he said quietly. "But… I think you should ask Professor Seraphina."

Luca's frown deepened, dread curling cold in his stomach. Why does it feel like something terrible has happened…?

The training grounds still rang with cheer, but for Luca, the sound only made the knot in his chest tighten. Everyone's laughter echoed like it belonged to a world different from the one he carried inside him. His steps quickened, weaving through the crowd until he reached Seraphina.

Just as he parted his lips to speak, she met his gaze. Her blue eyes seemed calm on the surface, but there was a quiet weight in them, an urgency she couldn't voice aloud here.

"Freshen up," she said, her tone firm but soft, carrying unshakable authority. "Meet me in front of the vice dean's office in two hours. We have something important to discuss."

Her words sank like lead in his stomach. Luca clenched his fists, forcing himself to give a nod. Something is telling me this is about…Saintess.

Around them, the atmosphere couldn't have been more different. Students limped and leaned on one another,as they all left with their uniforms still streaked with dirt and dried blood, but their eyes were shining. Their voices bubbled with relief and triumph, laughter spilling over the courtyard.

Luca turned, his gaze finding Aurelia and the others standing together. His steps carried him to them quickly—but his eyes narrowed when he noticed a small figure half-hidden behind Aurelia.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, his voice laced with disbelief.

Lisa puffed her cheeks, placing her hands on her hips like a scolding child. "That's what you say after your sister came all the way to visit you?"

"Eh?" Luca blinked, baffled. Then… what am I supposed to say?

Lisa huffed, crossing her arms. "Bad brother." With exaggerated dramatics, she marched forward, grabbed Aurelia's hand, and peeked back at Luca with a teasing grin. Sticking out her tongue, she declared, "I'll be staying with Sister Aurelia!"

Her cheeky antics drew laughter all around—Kyle clutched his stomach, nearly bending over, while Aiden shook his head with an indulgent smile. Lilliane covered her mouth, her shoulders trembling, and even Selena's usually composed face cracked into a small laugh.

One by one, Kyle, Aiden, Lilliane, and Selena offered their goodbyes, their voices tired but warm, their steps dragging yet lighthearted as they walked off together.

Luca pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling as he turned toward Aurelia and pointed at Lisa, who was proudly hugging her side. "What is happening?"

Aurelia's lips curved into a gentle smile, her expression calm and knowing as she explained.

Luca's shoulders slumped as the realization hit him. He crouched a little so he was eye-level with Lisa and hesitated before reaching out to gently pat her head. His hand lingered, fingers brushing through her hair. "I'm sorry… you must've been worried because of me."

Lisa jerked her head aside, cheeks flushing as she muttered under her breath. "Hmph… I wasn't worried. Not really…" But her small hands clenched tighter around Aurelia's sleeve, betraying her.

"Aurelia," Luca said softly, his eyes steady, "please take care of her. I'll take her home once we're allowed to leave."

Aurelia's gaze softened, her eyes shimmering with a mixture of pride and quiet concern. She gave a reassuring nod before gently leading Lisa away.

As their figures disappeared, the smile slipped from Luca's face. His jaw tightened, and a sharp seriousness replaced all traces of amusement. His thoughts spiraled back to the Saintess. Something's wrong… I can feel it.

He walked briskly toward Block A, entered his room, and didn't pause. Shedding his dirt-stained clothes, he stepped into the shower, letting cold water cascade down his body. He closed his eyes, tilting his head back, and let out a long exhale as the icy water numbed the tension in his muscles. But the storm in his chest remained.

Big Bull in custody. The Saintess missing. Professor Seraphina's eyes…

He pressed a hand against the tiled wall, leaning forward, trying to steady his breath.

Minutes later, he stepped out, toweling off quickly before changing into fresh clothes. Sitting at the edge of his bed, he stared at the clock, watching the second hand crawl by. Every tick only sharpened the unease twisting in his gut.

When the two hours finally passed, Luca pushed himself up with determination and moved. His footsteps echoed down the corridor, each one faster than the last.

The vice dean's office came into sight, its heavy doors looming like a gate to some hidden truth.

Seraphina stood waiting outside, arms folded across her chest, her figure regal in the moonlit corridor. Her expression was calm, but the subtle tightness around her eyes betrayed the storm she was hiding.

"Let's go in," she said, her voice firm, laced with the weight of something Luca knew would change everything.

He drew in a deep breath, his throat dry, and stepped forward beside her—toward the truth he wasn't sure he was ready to hear.