Chapter 291 - 291- Festival 22- The Staff Explosion

Words : 1645 Updated : Oct 7th, 2025

It wasn't long until Cadwin made his way to the Head Master's Office, a different space within the Staff Building. With its remarkable scenery, floating books and long mahogany shelves containing books of all kinds, it continued to remain a tranquil sight to all those who gazed upon it. Cadwin stood next to one of these shelves, his hands behind his back as the Principal stared at him from his floating chair. "You're here early". "Well, it was a matter of urgency I couldn't linger on". Head Master Dreau narrowed his gaze as he took a sip from his teacup, an envelope in hand a sigh exuded from his lips. "Your make-believe camaraderie is cute, but you should know when to draw the line". Cadwin clenched his fists, unable to respond, his thoughts reeling in and a stir of untouched emotions rushing through his system. "I do not....know what you mean, Headmaster. Can we simply get to business?" Headmaster Dreau chuckled, flinging the envelope in the air. It was suddenly absorbed in a thin line of mana that made it whizz through the air towards Cadwin, who grabbed it as soon as it reached him. He glanced at the HeadMaster and then the envelope, scanning the content with careful movements. "....the Red Peacemakers?" Cadwin muttered slowly, confusion and shock palpable from his expression. "I thought as much. You're no longer a member, so they wouldn't let you in on their big secrets but it seems like they made an alliance". "An alliance? With those cults of demons? The same bastards that have been running rampant in the Kingdom?" He muttered in disbelief. This was indeed information he had never heard of and something he didn't wish to hear of in the first place. It was absurd; concocting the number one Kingdom-wanted Cult was as much a death sentence as slandering an Aristocrat. It just didn't make sense that his friends, who he had loved and adorned once, were going this far for their cause. "....but why?" He wondered. Headmaster Dreau scoffed, swirling his tea in his cup. "They are growing antsy, Cadwin. The System Uprisers have been kept in check thanks to your support from the shadows and my decision to turn a blind eye to it, but their cause has become stagnant". He took a pause, sipped his tea and turned to Cadwin. "When humans realize their dreams are going to be crushed under the weight of reality, one must decide whether to accept it or to go beyond or means to avoid it". A tense silence ensued between them, Cadwin lost in thoughts. It had not been long since he last talked to Crown and Katherin, and he thought for a second that they had somewhat calmed down, but this changed everything. He read through the paper, his breadth quickening. "They were asking for the aid of an executive?" "Yes, the Executives, despite being system users with a level cap, are much stronger than they seem. Mostly because they follow a Devil King that can break through that.....through its ungodly ways.....luckily, I intercepted it, but there's no telling if they had not asked for one in the past". A heavy sigh escaped Cadwin's breath. "What do you need me to do, Head Master?" HeadMaster Dreau glanced at him for a moment, his expression unreadable as he looked away. He swirled his cup of tea with the teaspoon this time, his gaze shifting upwards as a soft sigh escaped his lips. "Whatever the case may be, I want them out of my Academy. They pose a threat that I can not handle publicly....but if you talk to them or query them, then I will let them be". Cadwin stood in contemplation, his thoughts coming to a decisive conclusion, or at least attempted to on many occasions. "One last.....can I ask for one last opportunity for them to redeem themselves?" "One last?" Head Master Dreau snapped his gaze back at Cadwin, narrowing his eyes in annoyance. "One last?" He repeated, a chuckle escaping his lips. "Hah....Cadwin, you're calm and decisive but your emotional attachment to these groups is exactly why you are where you are....." Cadwin flinched, unable to respond. It was like his words hung at the back of his throat, his head spinning as he contemplated what to do next. "It won't be long since your group of friends ran out of chances anyways....one last time. If they publicly disregard the school, then I will handle it myself, so you better be ready to take responsibility for their action". A heavy fullness that had taken its roots in his chest seemed to have eased up a little, but he knew the grass was never going to get greener. This was a journey he started with three, on a conquest to find the legendary System heroes and bring equality to the world. There are System Nobles, but they are incapable of being leaders in high positions; why? It was a question of origin, and strength, something system users laced in either or both. "I understand". He replied, disheartened, his shoulders dropping by a millimetre, his thoughts holding the complexities of his emotions. "Good. You're dismissed". Cadwin bowed slightly before turning back and walking through a door before disappearing from sight. He was teleported back to the Staff Hall, hands in his pocket and his gaze contemplating the white walls of the empty room. The glass walls accommodated the light that permeated through it, casting an afterglow of colours upon his figure in the middle of the room. It was like he found a moment of solace, a moment of truth and a factory decision. With a sigh, he turned around and walked out the door. FLASHBACK END. It was a short conversation with the HeadMaster, which held importance to his heart. He looked up from the ground, his fists shaking in rage. "This is wrong. We are not following the right path". "We? Who's We?" Crown muttered, his tone laced with annoyance. He clicked his tongue and turned to Katherin. "Like I said before, we should get rid of Andrej, expel him even after the Competition. The use of Crimson Puff wasn't part of the deal we made.....but it could at least get the job done". Katherine turned to Crown, her frown easing up. "I'll just do that then. We'll take care of him after he leaves the school premises". Cadwin chuckled, his voice interjecting their conversation as they turned to him. "Hah....geez...why do I even bother? You realize the Head Master sees all in the Academy, right. Your secret meetings, the influence you have on certain students, the spread of your Cult into the Student's body.....he knows it all". Crown's expression was one of contempt and annoyance. He could have easily gotten enraged, but this was someone that wasn't worth the stress. "You should know when not to cross the line. The Headmaster isn't all-seeing; if he were, then we would be dead by now". Cadwin's chuckle increased in volume and length, a crimson glint in his eyes. "What makes you think you aren't already?" Katherin raised a brow while the three other figures in her room glanced at each other before turning to Cadwin. "What are you talking about?" Wisdom interjected, intrigue and suspicion etched in his voice as he took steps forward. "Oh?" Cadwin walked backwards, his arm at the tip of his collar as he did so. "What does one do when the dogs they feed bite them?" They all remained silent after that, Katherin slowly growing uneasy as she stood up from her chair. "You kill them" He opened up his shirt, revealing an adult fist-sized red crystal implanted in the middle of his chest, glowing with a shady crimson. It pulsates with life, emitting energy that was unable to be stored properly. Suddenly, it stopped pulsating and the blinking light began to grow bright, turning into a hot shade of crimson blood. "Shit! A mana crystal!" Katherin screamed out in shock. "Are you craz"–BOOM! The world turned white as energy, large, wild, and ferocious, erupted out of the crystal in the blink of an eye, consuming the room in its afterglow of red before igniting the rest of the world in its crimson explosion. At that moment, outside the Staff Building, Raph had just arrived on the pathway back to his lecture when he heard a vibration spread through the floor. His gaze widened in shock as he snapped his head towards the Staff Building, witnessing a sudden explosion that erupted out of the ceiling of the building. –BOOM! –CRAH! A shockwave spread throughout, causing the windows to shatter and its delicate constructs to fall apart. Raph felt taken aback by the sight, the wave reaching him and pushing him back while he struggled back with his hands in the air. It was sudden, quick and decisive, causing a stir of confusion within him. 'What happened? Why was there an explosion?' He wondered as he attempted to head back inside but a sudden intrusion got in his way. "Raffaelo Jun". A familiar voice snapped him from his thoughts, causing him to turn back to get a glimpse of the source. "Hah.....Professor Kazim, just in time...I think something is going on in the Staff Building". He said that though he could get a solid view of what actually occurred with his eyes, he decided against it, at least at the moment. Professor Kazim walked up to him on the pathway, his peaceful-like smile widening as he said. "Hah....don't worry about that. It was just a scuffle between Lecturers".

Chapter 291 - 291- Festival 22- The Staff Explosion

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