Calm Before The Storm (2)

The academy gates loomed ahead, wide open for the first time since the incident.

Carriages lined the entrance, noble families and high-ranking officials stepping out in waves, their entourages trailing behind them. The atmosphere was thick with tension, whispers rippling through the crowd like wildfire.

I could hear them already.

*"That's Julius Vaelorian… or should I say, *was*."*

*"His father disowned him. He's nothing now."*

*"Why is he even here?"*

*"Does he not understand his place anymore?"*

I ignored them.

Stepping out of the carriage, I let my eyes scan the crowd. The academy had always been a place of prestige, a training ground for the future rulers of this world. But now? Now, it was more than that.

It was a battlefield.

Elaine stepped out after me, her expression unreadable.

To anyone watching, she was just another noble lady accompanying me.

In reality?

She was an **elven princess disguised as a human.**

It had been a necessary precaution. **Lovina was the most xenophobic country on the continent.** Any race that wasn't human was treated as lesser, and that was putting it lightly. For an elf—especially a *royal* elf—to walk these streets openly? It would be suicide.

That was why I had stopped by a magic artifact meister before arriving.

The **Veilstone Pendant** around her neck worked perfectly, masking her pointed ears and altering perception enough that no one would question her identity.

Still, I was **surprised** the elves would be allowed at the royal banquet at all.

Especially with *him* attending.

The **Pontifex of the Church of Light.**

His title alone carried enough weight to shake nations. Some called him the most powerful man in the world.

Personally? I thought he was the only person alive who could *rival the Demon King's pure evil.*

He preached kindness. Spoke of salvation. Gathered worshippers under the banner of the **Holy Light.**

But I knew better.

*I wrote him, after all.*

The Pontifex wasn't just a religious leader. He was a **monster** wrapped in silk, his gentle smile concealing a mind darker than anything lurking in the abyss. His hatred for non-humans was absolute, yet he played the long game, biding his time behind a mask of compassion.

I had crafted him to be the ultimate deceiver, a man revered as a saint but, in reality, a tyrant waiting for his moment to purge everything he deemed unclean. The twist had been one of my favorites—his eventual **fall from grace** was supposed to be a pivotal moment in the novel.

And now?

Now, I was walking straight into the lion's den.

I smirked. *Should be fun.*

Elaine, on the other hand, wasn't enjoying herself.

Her posture was rigid, her movements stiff. The thought of standing in a place where elves were despised—where a man like the Pontifex could order her death with a single word—was clearly weighing on her.

I leaned in slightly. "Relax."

She shot me a glare. "Easy for you to say. You're not the one walking through a city that would kill you on sight if they knew what you were."

I hummed. "That's why you have the pendant. No one suspects a thing."

Her glare didn't lessen. "And if they do?"

I smiled. "Then we'll find out how fast you can run."

Elaine looked like she wanted to kill me.

I found it amusing.

We walked further into the academy grounds, heading toward the dormitories. But before we got far—

"Julius."

I stopped.

Sophia Belmont stood in the middle of the path, arms crossed, golden hair catching the sunlight.

Unlike the others, she wasn't gawking at me in shock or whispering behind her hand.

She was **glaring.**

Elaine tensed beside me, sensing the shift in the air.

"Princess Belmont," I greeted smoothly, offering her a slight nod.

She ignored the formalities. "Is it true?"

I raised an eyebrow. "You'll have to be more specific."

Her gaze sharpened. "That you've been *disowned.*"

Ah.

So she already knew.

I smirked. "Didn't take long for the rumors to reach you, huh?"

Her eyes searched mine for a moment, looking for… something. Pity? Regret? Anger?

She found nothing.

"You don't seem to care," she muttered.

"I don't."

Her expression tightened. "Your father cast you aside. Your name, your title, your place in high society—*all gone.* And yet you're standing here like none of it matters."

I chuckled. "Because it doesn't."

She frowned, but it wasn't in judgment. Unlike most nobles, **she didn't care about bloodlines or titles.** That was why she had been friends with Alex, even though he was a commoner.

No, this was something else.

She was trying to **understand.**

She let out a sharp breath, clearly frustrated. "You're insane."

I chuckled. "So I've been told."

For a moment, she looked like she wanted to say more. But then she exhaled and shook her head.

"Aw, you *do* care."

She rolled her eyes and walked past me.

Elaine watched her go, then turned to me, her voice low. "She's right, you know."

I smirked. "That's the fun part."

And with that, we continued toward the dorms.

___

Once inside my room, I locked the door.

Elaine wasted no time ripping off the pendant, her pointed ears returning as the illusion faded. "That was awful," she muttered, rubbing her temples.

I ignored her, pulling off my coat. Then my gloves. Then my shirt.

Elaine made a strangled sound. "What—what are you doing?"

"Changing."

She turned bright red. "Then do it **somewhere else!**"

I glanced at her, amused. "You're stuck here. Where exactly are you going to go?"

She opened her mouth. Closed it. Scowled.

I smirked, continuing undressing until I was down to my underwear.

Elaine made a disgusted noise, looking away.

I ignored her, slipping into more comfortable clothes. As I buttoned a loose-fitting shirt, I caught my reflection in the mirror.

I frowned.

Something felt… *off.*

I turned away, heading into the bathroom. "Don't try anything stupid while I'm gone."

Elaine didn't respond.

I shut the door.

A few moments later.

When I emerged from the bathroom, something was different.

My sleek black hair was **white.** Pure white.

Elaine's eyes widened. "What…?"

I ran a hand through my hair, watching how it shimmered under the light.

It felt… natural.

I shrugged. "Guess I was due for a change."

Elaine stared but ultimately decided she didn't care.

Which was fine.

Because **she was too busy plotting my death.**

I had spent a long time in the bathroom, long enough for her to come up with a plan.

She bit her lip, looking hesitant, then—

She stepped forward.

Slowly.

Seductively.

I raised an eyebrow. *Really?*

Then, in a blur of movement—

A **wind blade** formed at her fingertips and plunged toward my heart.

It struck—

And **disappeared.**

Elaine gasped.

**[System Notification]**

**Elven Wind Magic acquired. Converting to Demonic Wind Magic.**

I smirked.

*It worked.*

I had never been able to access **Malivore's true ability—Absorption.** But now?

Any magic used on me?

I could **absorb it. Learn it.**

Elaine took a step back, horrified.

I shoved her onto the bed, pinning her down with one hand.

"Don't do that again," I murmured.

"Or I might accidentally kill your **last** living sibling."