Early that morning, Mrs. Alger stood rigidly in the center of the Principal's office, the tension in the room as thick as the scent of dark roast coffee.
Principal Kalik sat behind his heavy mahogany desk, a horseshoe ring of thinning gray hair framing his otherwise bald head. He adjusted his large, round-rimmed glasses and took a slow sip from his mug, peering over the rim.
"Are you absolutely certain there was no Fortitude reading whatsoever?" Mr. Kalik asked, his voice cutting through the quiet.
"Yes, Sir. We double-checked the standard system arrays and even brought in a secondary scanning crystal," Mrs. Alger replied, crossing her arms tightly. "The summon flatlined the gauge. Zero feedback. It had no registered Fortitude at all."
Principal Kalik leaned back, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm. Fascinating."
"What did the higher-ups say?" Mrs. Alger leaned forward slightly, her voice dropping to a cautious whisper. "Surely you sent an urgent report to the Ministry of Awakening?"
"Of course I did," the Principal said, setting his mug down with a soft thud. "And like us, they were completely blindsided. A flawless humanoid summon is unprecedented, but one that completely bypasses the system's tracking parameters? It shook them."
"Do they have any theories? Any historical anomalies that match the boy's summon?"
Mr. Kalik shook his head grimly. "None. There has never been a recorded humanoid summon in the modern era. This is as terrifyingly new to the Ministry's scholars as it is to us."
Mrs. Alger swallowed hard, her expression growing guarded. "Did they issue any direct orders, Sir?"
"Orders?"
"Did they say what we are supposed to do with the boy?" Mrs. Alger pressed, a defensive edge creeping into her tone. "You know how the Government operates, Sir. They have a tendency to cage or liquidate what they cannot comprehend. Arthur's summon is a complete wildcard. We don't know its nature, we don't know its origin, and worse, we can't quantify its power."
"I had the exact same grim thoughts when your initial report crossed my desk yesterday," Principal Kalik sighed, his eyes softening with genuine concern. "I was terrified the high command would order an immediate execution of the boy and a forced un-summoning on the spot. But the truth is, no one knows if this creature is a hidden god or just a glorified vanity pet. It could be a useless, civilian-class anomaly, or a fragile Iron-tier at best. I managed to use that uncertainty to convince the brass to leave the boy's evaluation entirely in the hands of this academy." Get faster updates on novelping.com.
Mrs. Alger blinked, caught off guard. "You managed to sway the Ministry high command? Just like that, over a phone call?"
Principal Kalik's stern face cracked into a confident, dangerous grin. "I am a Gold-tier Summoner, aren't I? Even the politicians know better than to ignore my professional judgment."
Principal Kalik's grin faded, replaced by the hardened expression of a seasoned veteran who had survived countless rift incursions. He leaned forward, resting his interlocked fingers on the mahogany desk.
"I made a compromise with the Ministry," Kalik continued, his voice dropping into a serious, commanding register. "I convinced them that the safest course of action isn't to lock the boy in some underground lab, which would only breed resentment. Instead, we keep him right here under our thumbs. I told them that I, along with the other high-ranking combat instructors at this academy, will personally monitor Arthur and his summon."
Mrs. Alger listened intently, nodding slowly as the strategy piece fell into place. "A controlled environment."
"Exactly," Kalik said, tapping his desk. "We watch how they interact, how the summon responds to commands, and most importantly, we look for any signs of inherent hostility or corruption. If that humanoid creature shows even a flicker of malice toward humans, or if its nature turns out to be inherently demonic, we will know immediately."
Mrs. Alger lowered her eyes, a lingering trace of anxiety in her voice. "And what if the scan was wrong, Sir? What if it's not a civilian-class anomaly? If that entity turns out to be an unregistered catastrophic threat... can we actually contain it?"
Principal Kalik let out a short, dry chuckle, though his eyes remained entirely cold behind his round-rimmed glasses. He stood up, turning his back to her to look out the massive glass window overlooking the academy courtyard, where the heavily armored school buses were just beginning to arrive.
"Arthur is an eighteen-year-old kid who just stumbled into a power he doesn't understand," the Principal said softly. Then, a thick, suffocating wave of violet mana subtly rippled off his shoulders, causing the window panes to vibrate and the coffee in his mug to ripple violently. "If things get real, Mrs. Alger...if that summon loses control or proves to be a danger to this city, I will personally step in and handle both Arthur and his beast before they can even blink. A Gold-tier domain isn't just a title, it's an absolute wall. Rest assured, the boy won't be a problem."
Mrs. Alger felt the brief, oppressive weight of his aura and instantly relaxed her shoulders, letting out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "Understood, Principal. I'll make sure his placement in the tactical track is finalized today."
Back in the newly assigned tactical auditorium, the awakened students scrambled to stake their claims. The room quickly fractured into distinct social hierarchies; everyone grouped themselves by core compatibility, attribute tiers, and social status, deciding who they would sit with for the rest of the semester.
Arthur stood near the entrance, deliberately waiting until the chaotic rush died down and the majority of the class had selected their seats. He was just about to move when a heavy, condescending hand patted him on the back.
Arthur turned his head. It was Christoffer, wearing a sinister, mocking grin. Standing right beside him was Sidwig, who was already laughing his lungs out.
"Man, some people summon armored beasts, and others summon ancient prostitutes," Sidwig jeered, causing the group of sycophantic minions behind them to burst into a chorus of raucous laughter.
"I honestly can't wait for the combat trials," Christoffer added, leaning in with a disgusting smirk. "I want to see how that hot bitch fights. I bet she suffocates monsters with her pussy."
Arthur didn't bother answering them. He didn't need to. Arguments were for the weak; it wouldn't be long before the academy forced them to test their summons against each other in the dueling arenas. When that time came, his actions would speak loud enough to shatter their teeth.
Seeing that they weren't getting a rise out of him, the group tossed a few more insults over their shoulders and moved down the steps to take their seats near the front.
Arthur walked down the aisle and picked an isolated seat in the very back corner. Alone again, right where he spent his entire high school life before the awakening ritual. He leaned back, preparing to zone out for the rest of the orientation.
But as it turned out, he wasn't destined to be alone this time.
The heavy silence of his corner was broken by the soft clicking of boots. To the absolute shock of everyone in the room, Isoreth abruptly gathered her belongings. She walked past the whispering rows of students, marched straight up to the back corner, and slid into the empty desk right next to Arthur.
The entire auditorium went dead silent. Dozens of eyes locked onto the back row in sheer, unadulterated disbelief.
Arthur looked at her, his throat suddenly going dry. Isoreth was breathtaking, her sharp, elegant features radiating the effortless confidence of someone born into a high-tier lineage.
"Mind if I sit here?" Isoreth asked, her calm, clear voice cutting through his stunned silence.
Arthur swallowed hard, his heart hammering against his ribs far faster than it had during the hobgoblin raid. "No... no, not at all."
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