Chapter 68

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Episode 14 - Second Form of Inverted Heaven [5]

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After spending a few minutes thinking about my next plans for this summer vacation,

I sighed and then shifted my attention to something else.

’First, I’ll go get the Obsidian Flower from Director Bernice; then, when the auction begins, I’ll buy the ten Ascension Stones.’

As for the Mana Channel, I already know a perfect one, although it would be a bit far away.

But that was better than drawing attention because of the results of the Body Reconstruction,

since advancing to 5 Stars causes a small commotion in the surrounding area.

’Good, then I’ll go get the Obsidian Flower now.’

The faster I obtain the items necessary for reconstructing my body,

the fewer worries I’ll have, and I’ll be able to focus on the Chapters and training,

without any distractions.

’Ah, and I should also give this information to the main characters.’

Of course, I shouldn’t wait until they reach 11 Stars, but if they obtain the Transcendent Body, they’ll be less likely to die easily.

Finally, I finished my training for today.

Tomorrow, I would test the Second Form.

***

The next day,

it was still dawn, and I headed straight to Director Bernice’s office.

Since I had already been guided to her office once before, I easily recognized the way without needing help.

After walking for some time,

I finally stopped in front of a large door in a hallway filled with paintings, where two stood out more than the others.

I raised my hand and was about to knock when.

"Let’s go in."

A voice came from behind me.

Turning around in surprise, my senses finally picked up Director Bernice’s presence.

’She really escaped my senses.’

Well, I’m still not strong enough to truly use my senses.

Even so, I should have at least felt something faint.

Anything, any trace... but nothing.

"Let’s go in."

Snapping out of my thoughts, I stepped aside for Director Bernice. She took a step forward and opened the door.

Finally, once inside, she sat down in her seat and said:

"So, Cadet Adel, do you have something to discuss with me, or did you come to ask for something in return for the favor I gave you and the others?"

I answered without hesitation:

"To ask for something."

While she reviewed a few things on her desk, she finally looked directly at me with a faint smile.

"And what is it that you want to ask for?"

I took a slightly deep breath and said what I wanted:

"I want the Obsidian Flower. I can’t obtain it on my own, so only you can give it to me easily. I’ll use the favor you granted us as compensation in exchange for the Obsidian Flower."

At my words, Director Bernice smiled and, instead of answering, asked:

"You’re preparing what’s necessary for the Transcendent Body, right?"

Even though I could not see it, I knew her eyes shone with a golden hue, her pupils completely inverted, unlike mine.

Her gaze examined every part of my body.

Director Bernice’s smile softened, and then she sighed.

"Yes, I have it."

She raised the palm of her hand, and out of nowhere, a flower appeared.

"Here."

I extended my hand and took the flower. Its texture felt like crystal, smooth; the petals were no different from those of a rose.

When I used my True Sight and Mana Sense, the colors of mana manifested around the flower.

Dense dark mana radiated from the flower; it was so pure and refined.

’So this is the Obsidian Flower, huh.’

Aside from the Obsidian Flower, there were also the other rare-attribute flowers:

the Blood Flower, Moon Flower, Void Flower, Star Flower, Sun Flower, and Light Flower.

The Obsidian Flower was the only one with a different name due to its shape and texture; it was the plant with the densest and purest mana for advancing to 5 Stars.

’Well, now all that’s left are the other ingredients.’

I stored the Obsidian Flower in my inventory; it soon disappeared.

Then Director Bernice’s voice spoke:

"What you just did has intrigued me."

"...."

I slightly raised my head. I noticed that she was staring at me, still smiling.

With a simple smile, I said:

"It’s a trait. It doesn’t require any mana."

She did not ask anything else. Even so, she leaned slightly forward and said:

"Do you really only want the Obsidian Flower? You could have obtained it during some future academy event, such as the academic exchange at the end of the semester."

Hearing her words, I shook my head.

Although it was true, there was a particular reason why I was using the favor I currently had on the Obsidian Flower.

Of course, I had planned to use that favor later, but the Divine Body is more important.

"Considering that the director would not store just any Obsidian Flower, and would most likely keep it in a place filled with mana of every attribute, the Obsidian Flower in my hands is easily the best among them all."

The reason why the Obsidian Flower she gave me contained such a vast amount of mana

was because of the <Vault of the Great Ancients>, a space outside this world that only Director Bernice can access as a descendant of the Great Ancients.

That is a place where, if any medicinal plant, elixir, or anything with healing or strength-enhancing effects is stored,

its effects triple within a few days, and over the span of several years, they become more than ten times stronger.

’Everyone knows Bernice is a dragon, but few know she carries the bloodline of the Great Ancients.’

Director Bernice smiled confidently and nodded her head.

"You have an outstanding way of observing and thinking, Cadet Adel."

I scratched my head, feeling somewhat uncomfortable. Even so, I smiled with my characteristic fake smile.

Then I stood up from my seat and said:

"Then I’ll be leaving. I’m late for class."

Director Bernice nodded calmly. Then I left the office, and before I closed the door, she said:

"Cadet Adel, try showing a genuine smile instead of a fake one."

I stopped for a second before saying:

"I don’t have emotions, so I don’t know how to smile genuinely."

Then I closed the office door and walked down the hallway.

Her final words left me bewildered for a moment, but I did not pay them much attention.

In any case, smiling is just an expression on the face; there is nothing truly important about it.

At least, from my point of view.

’Well, let’s prepare for the Memory Gate.’

With those thoughts in mind, I headed to the classroom.

***

"I don’t have emotions, so I don’t know how to smile genuinely."

The door to her office closed, and the silence deepened.

Bernice stared at the door for a few seconds before lowering her gaze.

Remembering Adel’s words somehow made her slightly furrow her brows.

Then she murmured unconsciously:

"How strange."

She did not know why she said that, yet she had done so instinctively.

Bernice sighed and then spoke:

"How is the search going?"

Her assistant suddenly appeared in front of her desk, papers in hand, and said:

"We have already verified the blood of every seventeen- to eighteen-year-old teenager in the entire Imperial Capital, and none of them are the one. We also checked the nearby cities, but there were no results."

Bernice nodded without saying a single word.

Her assistant continued the report for several more minutes.

Meanwhile, Bernice’s mind focused on a recent memory.

It was Professor Ashly, who had casually said something after learning that Bernice was searching for the owner of the Supreme-Quality Elixir blood.

"Now that I think about it, when Cadet Adel signed the contract I offered after becoming my assistant, since blood had to be used, I noticed that the color of his blood was redder than normal."

"Redder than normal?"

"Well, I don’t know. I was busy and didn’t pay much attention to it. Anyway, I finally have my assistants now."

"Congratulations."

The memory lingered for a second before disappearing. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Her fingers tapped rhythmically against the desk.

Then she looked up and said to her assistant:

"Check the border cities. If there’s still nothing, then investigate here at the Academy."

The assistant nodded and said:

"Understood, Director."

Soon, the assistant disappeared without leaving a trace, as if they had never been there.

Bernice leaned back further into her chair while her thoughts drifted back and forth.

’It will take until the beginning of next semester to get results, so for now I need to search for the rest of the infiltrated villains.’

When she personally interrogated Celestia, Celestia had not revealed much.

She said that she did not know who the other infiltrated villains were, since the Church of the Black Dawn never reveals that information.

Each villain is on a different mission without knowing who the others are.

’All that’s left is to catch them one by one. There’s no other way.’

He slightly clenched his jaw while his fingers tapped softly.

***

I finally arrived at the classroom.

When I entered, several cadets were already there. All the main characters were present, but at the same time, the atmosphere felt different from other days.

’Ah, right. Today the club registrations open.’

At the Holy Academy, there were hundreds of clubs where students could obtain different benefits.

As I sat down, Rinna turned toward me and asked:

"Adel, which club are you going to join?"

At her question, I did not respond immediately.

There was one particular reason for that, and it was none other than myself.

’I’m known as the blind one with the Dark attribute.’

Every day, nobles and even some commoners look at me with disgust, contempt, or simply ignore me.

And the club leaders are all second- or third-year students.

Knowing those guys, who are even more arrogant...

’I don’t know if I’ll be able to get into a club.’

If I fail to join one, I could be suspended for this entire semester.