Your existence is mine

Fiona stay frozen, her eyes wide in disbelief at the scene before her. The monstrous figure had single-handedly taken down all seven men with terrifying ease. Now, it held their leader in the air, its iron grip wrapped around his throat. Blood dripped from deep gashes that marred his body, jagged shards of ice embedded in his flesh, One of his hands was gone.

The monster lifted its remaining free hand, its claws gleaming ominously before plunging straight into the man's chest, piercing his heart with ruthlessness. The life drained from him in an instant, his body falling limp as the creature callously tossed him aside like a discarded rag doll. Its gaze, cold and unrelenting, now shifted to Fiona. Each step it took toward her echoed with foreboding, and she could only stay there, trembling uncontrollably, paralyzed by fear.

When the monster finally reached Fiona, she braced herself for the worst. But to her astonishment, it did not harm her. Instead, it raised it's clawed hand and pointed toward the road. Its voice, rough and gravelly as if unused to speech, rumbled through the silence.

"Go. You are safe now."

Fiona stared in disbelief, her trembling subsiding only slightly as the monster's words registered. It had saved her—yet the air around it still crackled with an overwhelming, inhuman presence.

Fiona couldn't find the words to respond, her voice caught in her throat. Without hesitation, she turned and ran in the direction the monster had pointed, her footsteps hurried and unsteady.

As Fiona's figure disappeared into the distance, the monster let out a low, weary sigh. Its terrifying, monstrous form began to waver.

[Morph with frost fang has been deactivated]

"I never thought I'd end up saving Fiona."

Fiona Ember— the only daughter of Duke Philix Ember, the greatest court mage on the continent, a man whose name alone commanded respect and fear. Known not only for his immense magical powers but also for the deep love he bore for his cherished daughter.

In the novel, there wasn't much detail about Fiona Ember—only that even before the main story starts she was tragically killed while traveling to the academy. This single event drove Duke Philix to the brink of madness. The despair of losing his beloved daughter, his only family, shattered him completely.

Duke Philix launched an investigation into her death. All the evidence pointed to a neighboring kingdom near the continent's border. It was revealed that the kingdom's royal family had orchestrated the attack.

Years ago, Duke Philix had firmly rejected a proposal to betroth Fiona to the king's son, and this rejection festered into a desire for revenge. Killing Fiona was their cruel answer—a twisted act of retaliation that would ignite an inevitable storm.

Blinded by rage and grief, Duke Philix ignored all orders from the emperor and launched a devastating attack on the neighboring kingdom. The conflict escalated into a brutal war, culminating in a deadly duel between Duke Philix and the king. In the end, both men fell, their deaths marking the loss of two of the continent's strongest pillars.

Yet this tragedy had been no accident. Behind the scenes, a certain organization had orchestrated everything. They manipulated events, using Fiona as a catalyst and spreading false evidence to pit the duke and the king against one another. Their true goal was to weaken the empire.

But this time, Edward had changed fate. By saving Fiona, he had shattered their carefully laid plan. though Edward knew this was only the beginning of something far greater.

"I have no idea how the main story will turn from now on."

-------

After what felt like forever, Edward finally arrived at the gates of the empire's sprawling capital city. Towering walls loomed overhead, and the bustling activity around the entrance spoke of the city's significance. As expected, the guards stationed there stepped forward, halting his progress.

"State your name and purpose," one of them demanded, their watchful eyes scanning him from head to toe.

Edward calmly reached into his pocket and took out his admission certificate to Solaris Academy.

The moment the guards caught sight of the certificate, their stern expressions shifted to surprise and respect. Without another word, they stepped aside, granting him entry.

"Welcome to the capital. Good luck at Solaris," one of them added as he passed through.

Edward entered the city, feeling a mixture of relief and anticipation. The towering spires and grand avenues of the capital stretched before him.

The streets of the capital were bustling, filled with peoples, wealthy nobles and merchants going about their business. On either side of the clean, well-paved road, shops displayed goods from every corner of the continent—luxurious fabrics, rare spices, and intricate artifacts.

What stood out most was the architecture—a unique blend of modern and medieval styles. Tall stone buildings with ornate carvings stood alongside sleek, functional structures, a sight unlike anything found in other towns.

Edward took it all in as he walked, the lively atmosphere and smiling faces reminding him just how different the capital is compared to any other towns.

Yet, Edward paid no interest to any of it. His destination was already set.

After some distance, the main street split into two. One path led to the restricted district, where only nobles and royalty could enter without prior permission. The other path led directly to Solaris Academy.

Since classes for new students at Solaris would officially start from tomorrow, the path toward the academy was quite crowded with people. Most of them were students, their refined attire and confident strides marking them as those from wealthier backgrounds. Among them, Edward stood out. His cheap clothes and rough appearance screaming poor commoner, drawing glances from those walking along the same road.

Ignoring the glances, Edward walked into Solaris Academy. He quickly completed the necessary formalities, receiving his dorm key and uniform. As part of the academy's rules, once the semester starts, students are not allowed to leave for the next three years, until graduation, except during holidays, breaks, or in cases of urgent family matters.

"Make sure to attend tonight's banquet; every student's presence is mandatory," the person in charge of the paperwork reminded Edward, who simply nodded in response.

To enroll in Solaris Academy, examinees had to pass the entrance exam, a challenging mix of physical and written tests, which the previous Edward had already successfully completed.

The score from this exam determined which class a student would be placed in. The first-year students were divided into four classes: A, B, C, and D. The class you were assigned to directly influenced the kind of treatment and opportunities you would receive throughout your time at the academy.

Solaris Academy prioritized talent above all else. Their goal was to nurture future heroes, not pamper arrogant noble brats. Because of this, it didn't matter if you were royalty or the child of a lowly baron—your class placement determined the treatment you would receive within the academy.

"This is still better than any inn I've stayed at so far."

Edward is Assigned to Class D, the lowest class for first-year students, his dorm reflected that. It contained only the essentials: a bed, a light, a wardrobe, and a study table. Simple, yet to someone who had spent multiple nights on the wilderness, it felt like a five-star hotel.

Sitting aside his uniform, Edward jumped onto the bed, relishing the softness beneath him after such a long time. He rolled around for a few seconds, then lay still as a thought began to occupy his mind.

"Now that I'm here and have the chance to think about it... who are Edward's parents? I haven't heard anything about them. I thought I'd receive some letters or something once I reached the academy. Are they even alive? The fees for the first semester are already paid, and it's not a small amount that any commoner could afford."

The background of the character known as Edward remained a mystery, but he had no leads to follow for now. Instead of wasting time on it, he decided to make use of this moment to relax after a long time. With a deep breath, he shifted his focus to plan his future movements, knowing that the days ahead would be full of chaos that could threaten his survival, after all, he is just a background character in this fantasy novel.