Chapter 256 - 252 — Sleep

Several minutes later, Zephyrion left the Inheritance and its heir, heading back toward his sleeping area. A faint smile lingered on his face, accompanied by a calculating glint in his eyes.

’It worked well.’

Zephyrion had been particularly wary of the Inheritance, considering all the experience he would have amassed over the centuries, but he was rather pleased that the old soul hadn’t called his bluff.

While it was true that relics could be manipulated, and that the academy relics observing them could be deceived by anyone skilled enough, it would be naïve to think that was the academy’s only means of keeping watch over them.

Ever since awakening in the desert, he had felt them—the incessant sting of unseen eyes resting on him. He had been tailed far too many times during missions in the Order, many of which had nearly claimed his life, to mistake the sensation.

They were being watched.

By how many, he had no idea. However, for them to evade his senses so consistently, there was no doubt they were strong. More than likely, they had been watching to ensure no lethal harm came to the cadets, which meant that if he had actually tried to kill or cripple Kaelith, they would have been forced to intervene.

After giving it some thought, Zephyrion ultimately attributed the Inheritance’s caution to the era he came from.

’Maegorian.’

Or rather, the name had sounded familiar the first time he heard it, and after digging through his memories, he had finally remembered why.

History spoke of a wanderer, a man who had climbed to the Dominion ranks without the endless resources or backing of the high houses. He had become a terror on the battlefield through a single rune art honed to absolute perfection, earning one title that had echoed throughout history.

’Maegorian. The Compression King.’

Unfortunately, his era had come several decades after the fall of the Elemental Gods, even after Demorian’s time, when advancements in rune technology were still primitive and most of the systems that existed today had yet to be established. Back then, the military academy hadn’t even existed.

All in all, it was fortunate for Zephyrion that he had been ignorant of all this. Now, he had tricked both the Inheritance and his heir into surrendering their Source. Zephyrion would consider himself a fool if he hadn’t taken full advantage of the opportunity. Instead of merely adding the promise, he had woven in another line of code, one that made the Inheritance ’ inclined’ to heed his requests.

In blunt terms, he had basically acquired himself a useful slave.

’Now, let’s hope it works.’

Zephyrion gripped Demorian’s rod, now disguised as a pin fastened to his chest. Its touch was as cold as ever. Even now, it remained silent, showing not the slightest reaction.

He had spent the past few months waiting, hoping the rod would suddenly light up and Demorian would return with his usual pitiful look, as though life itself had wronged him. Yet day after day, all he was met with was silence.

Now, he was done waiting.

The only question was whether the old man would be of any use regarding this.

’I’ll find out after the test.’

For now, they were still being watched. The fortress would be a far better place to deal with this.

With that thought, Zephyrion cleared his mind. His resting place was a short distance from the camp, far enough that he didn’t have to worry about the countless enemies, cadets, lurking around.

Well... technically, he was not alone. After all, a certain petite girl seemed utterly determined never to leave his side.

Zephyrion sighed.

’I should force her to sleep on her own one of these nights.’

He could already picture the headache that would inevitably follow. Even so, Zephyrion was determined to see it through. At the very least, he wanted to enjoy having an entire bed to himself.

As if on cue, Zephyrion found Lumi standing before their resting place, which was nothing more than a large tree with branches wide enough to lie on. She wore a familiar smile, the exact same one she always wore whenever she’d done something he was absolutely certain he wasn’t going to like.

A sudden sense of apprehension washed over Zephyrion. He frowned.

"What have you done?"

Lumi blinked innocently, pointing at herself with wide, clueless eyes.

Zephyrion answered with a flat, deadpan stare.

Eventually, realizing he wasn’t buying the act, she sighed before puffing out her chubby cheeks in that infuriatingly cute way that always seemed to make his heart race.

’Don’t fall for it.’

Zephyrion hastily circulated his blood, keeping his calm, deadpan expression firmly in place.

Whether she realized her weapon of mass destruction hadn’t worked, or she simply decided to change tactics, he had no idea. She suddenly smiled, then, with bright, eager eyes, beckoned for him to follow her.

Zephyrion frowned as he watched her climb the tree.

A moment later, he followed after her, only for his frown to deepen the instant he reached their sleeping place.

The wide branch, once bare and uncomfortably hard, was now covered with soft-looking leaves carefully layered together into something that closely resembled a bed. He had to give it to her—it looked ridiculously soft.

Lumi stood proudly before what was clearly her masterpiece, grinning from ear to ear with both hands planted on her waist.

Zephyrion stared at her.

"You did all this?"

She nodded proudly.

"...Why?"

She pointed at him with an even brighter smile.

"For me?" He frowned. "You do realize I don’t actually need a bed, right?"

In fact, though none of the cadets knew, he hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep since the test began. Every night, he simply sat on the branch with his eyes closed, yet remained fully alert the entire time. He couldn’t afford to let his guard down.

’I don’t need sleep.’

Unfortunately, Lumi clearly didn’t share that opinion.

She pointed at his eyes with an unmistakably worried look.

"My eyes?"

She nodded before waving a hand, forming a mirror.

Zephyrion looked at his reflection and frowned deeply.

Dark eye bags hung beneath his eyes, while both were bloodshot, only a few shades away from looking like a sanguine’s.

Zephyrion dismissed the mirror with a wave, still unconvinced.

"Even then, I feel fi—"

His arm snapped up, stopping a metal spike barely an inch from his face.

He slowly turned an unamused stare toward Lumi, whose arm was still outstretched from firing it.

Completely unapologetic, Lumi jabbed a finger at the spike with an accusing look, as though triumphantly presenting irrefutable evidence.

Zephyrion lowered his gaze to the spike.

’I was slower...’

Normally, he would have caught it long before it even came close to him. To think it had gotten within an inch of his face...

Zephyrion sighed.

’Exhaustion, huh. I guess it makes sense.’

After all, he had been going nonstop in this world designed to push them to their limits. While the other cadets had collapsed multiple times, he had never once allowed himself to rest.

Still...

His gaze dropped to his clenched fist.

He still had to keep going, at least until the test was over.

Again, unfortunately, Lumi clearly had a different opinion.

The moment their eyes met, and he saw the unwavering resolve in her gaze, Zephyrion knew he was in for a long night.

He gave her a serious look.

"No matter what you do, I’m not sleeping."

Lumi merely tilted her head and smiled, as if he’d just said something adorably naïve.