Chapter 29: Shadows of Betrayal

We split up quickly after our talk, and since it was already night, I hurriedly made my way back home without stopping anywhere along the way. Exhaustion washed over me, prompting me to discard my belongings on the floor before collapsing onto the couch. It had been an incredibly draining week, and my body craved rest.

Recalling my conversation with Sarah, my mind raced with thoughts. The hidden vestige that forbade the use of magic was a significant challenge for any mage. Without their spells and magic, mages would struggle to fight effectively. Even those who had trained in close combat would still be at a severe disadvantage compared to a regular mage.

"No magic allowed... A perfect vestige for a warrior," I muttered to myself, recognizing the unique opportunity presented by such a place. It was undeniable that this hidden vestige catered to warriors, who would have to rely solely on their physical strength to engage in combat.

However, as fatigue overwhelmed me, my musings came to an abrupt halt. I drifted into a deep sleep, and when I awoke, it was already morning.

The school bell rang, signaling the end of today's classes. School had officially resumed, and all third-year students were required to attend throughout the week as the graduation test was approaching. Attendance was taken every day to ensure that students would be present during the test and to prevent any unforeseen mishaps.

Though I intended to arrive at school at the usual time, an accidental oversleep caused me to dash there in a rush. Luckily, the teachers didn't reprimand me too severely, and I found myself alone in the classroom.

"William, come with me. I want to have a talk with you," a voice called out to me. I raised my head and saw Phillip standing at the classroom door. Wow, after a long time of distancing himself from me, Phillip suddenly came forward to talk to me. I wondered what he was up to.

Intrigued, I stood up and followed him. It had been a while since our last encounter, and I was curious about what he wanted to discuss.

Phillip led me to the school's back gate, and as I arrived, a person in a black suit came forward to greet me.

"Mister, I've brought him," Phillip respectfully addressed the man in black. Did they know each other?

"Hello, Mr. William, nice to meet you." With a cordial smile, the man in black extended his hand to shake mine and greeted me.

Since there was no problem with me shaking hands with him, I did just that, but I did not forget to ask him a question too.

"Who are you, and what do you want with me?" I asked straightforwardly.

"Call me Mr. Smith," he replied with the same smile. "As for what I want, it's simple. I work for someone, and he has ordered me to deliver a message to you."

"Go on," I replied, maintaining a neutral expression.

Mr. Smith continued, "Please stay away from Miss Sarah. It would also be wise for you to stop being in the same group as her during the graduation day. I know that you are desperate to get into her group because of your incompetence and your desire to enter a good magic university, but be assured. My master has already said that he will arrange a special ticket admission to any of the second-rate universities for you. Based on your situation right now, even if you team up with a group of geniuses, it would still be hard for any university to take notice of you. The first-rate and second-rate universities won't even look at you based on just your constitution, and that leaves you with only the third-rate university or technical school. Being able to secure admission directly to any of the second-rate universities of your choice is the best my master has provided for you, don't you think?"

I listened silently to Mr. Smith's words. To be honest, when he offered me the guaranteed university admission, I was a little tempted. No matter how shameful it is, what he said really made sense. If this were a normal situation, I would have gladly accepted the offer, but unfortunately, I had made a promise and I intended to keep it.

"Sorry, but I'm not interested," I replied with a nonchalant expression.

"William, you!" Phillip interjected, looking agitated at my immediate rejection without giving it further consideration. Mr. Smith must have been influential to him, which explained his reaction.

"I see, so that is your choice then. As expected of their son," Mr. Smith said, still smiling. His words seemed to suggest that he knew my parents. This raised a different question: Did my parents know him?

"Then I guess our business here is done. I hope you will not regret your decision later, Mr. William," Mr. Smith said, getting ready to leave.

"I won't," I replied plainly.

He didn't respond but instead opted to maintain his usual smile. Suddenly, a black car arrived, and Mr. Smith entered it before driving away.

"You have made a big mistake, William. Trust me, as your former friend, you should've accepted that offer," Phillip said before walking away as well.

Watching both Mr. Smith and Phillip disappear, my instincts told me that it wouldn't end here. However, there was nothing else I could do at the moment, so I resolved to handle it when the time came.

Little did I know that this matter would quickly be escalated and it would change my destiny forever.