Mysterious Fog - 2

The mist spread—was it due to the direction of the wind, or were there simply too many sources? Wein pondered deeply, and someone immediately came to mind.

A person capable of summoning mist and veils was a suspicion shared by Wein Arcveil—someone he deeply suspected. The same figure who had nearly killed him.

The air was freezing, and the moon had risen. Tonight, the sky was once again painted red, and the land was covered in black mist.

Blood Moon.

It was another terrifying night. Within a month, there would be three Blood Moons, even though they wouldn't occur during the full moon phase.

Whatever made people fear the Blood Moon nights, a grand city like Aetheris should have powerful protections in place to deal with the frenzy of vampires.

Perhaps monsters would also appear tonight, but it was unlikely they would immediately recognize that this city was protected by the most powerful wizards.

Essentially, if tonight officially became a citywide crisis, Aetheris would see vampires and several crimson beasts emerge near the academy grounds.

No light—and only darkness—would invite them in, especially with human life not disturbing their presence.

"This will be a dreadful night."

Suddenly breaking the long silence, Aria spoke softly, yet sharply in tone, while shaking the water inside her unique bottle.

Wein absentmindedly played with a bullet casing between his fingers, which now bore clear traces of blood.

---

Narisa Florence was deep in thought, trying to secure the mysterious masked man from Drakvary dormitory to be borrowed during the war alongside Tigravorn.

She sat with a mirror on her desk and several scattered papers—one of them displayed an article naming a hero known as 'The Fallen' from the Drakvary dorm.

For now, she remained focused on that task, setting aside the greater danger that loomed over their freedom.

Narisa tucked her hair behind her ear before finally lifting her face from the mirror. "How's the situation outside?" she asked.

"Quite bad—very bad, actually." The low-toned reply reflected the speaker's strained throat, a direct effect of the mist.

Narisa quickly looked up and turned toward Violett, who started coughing after speaking.

"Are you alright?" she asked, wanting to make sure. It would be a serious problem if she didn't take full precautions.

Violett shook her head in reply, but Narisa could clearly see how her facial muscles trembled and resisted.

"Violett!" Narisa cried out. She leapt from her chair, pushing it aside to gain momentum.

What's happening? What's wrong with her? Why hasn't any information reached us yet? Narisa caught Violett's head and upper body as she nearly collapsed to the floor.

She gently laid Violett Evirsch down onto the floor where she had fallen helpless, her body trembling one last time in a coughing fit—until she coughed out blood.

"What's going on with you?" Emotions of heartbreak, frustration, sorrow, and anger all blended until Narisa managed to regain control.

Just then, someone entered the room, carrying a large stack of papers, likely from the school institution and in-game articles.

"Please! Bring her to the infirmary." She called for help before the man realized what was happening—initially placing the papers on the table without noticing anyone had collapsed. Upon seeing it, empathy stirred within him, compelling him to act.

"I'll take care of her," he said, lifting Violett by himself. Her long, dark blue hair flowed down, her eyes shut, and her breath heavy.

"Thank you."

While carrying Violett, he glanced back over his shoulder and said, "But before that, please read those—for the sake of our dorm."

Holding back tears, Narisa wiped them off her cheeks and stood up, then approached the thirty or so sheets of paper.

Narisa, visibly distressed, raised her arm high and slammed her clenched fist onto the table. "Aaakkhh!"

This hurts… Narisa whispered to herself, convinced this was the worst thing she'd ever done, and her mood shifted drastically.

Her fingers brushed the topmost sheet before pulling it to read—an article about the Drakvary dorm.

It was something remarkable. Upon hearing Drakvary's name, she turned immediately toward it, though not with the same interest as the creeping night.

'This Mist Spreads Quickly', published by Aria Everdisch on an international forum. She was truly fed up with it—walking in the heat and scorching sun.

After reading the title, Narisa was drawn to a few paragraphs that explained the mist didn't appear mysteriously—it was created by someone.

Isn't that confusing? I don't care, but my head feels like it's about to explode.

Narisa grew more emotional and turned her gaze away.

It turned out the mist was something that nearly took her friend's life. She buried her face into the desk instead of looking back at the papers.

Is this part of an exam?

She kept asking herself that question repeatedly—until she finally found a sliver of clarity.

---

Footsteps echoed in the corridor as four feet walked together, the moonlight clearly illuminating the dark hallway.

A terrifying night for some, Wein walked behind Loraine, whose face glowed even more under the moonlight.

As Wein walked, he observed Loraine's calm and silent pace. She moved gracefully and confidently, though that wasn't always the case.

The red moonlight shone outside the balcony door, and the moon appeared not only red—but massive.

Loraine glanced briefly over her shoulder to make sure Wein was still behind her, then looked ahead again.

"Was that a check?" Wein chuckled, easing the awkward atmosphere of the past few seconds as he matched his pace with Loraine.

"Your footsteps are so quiet, it made me wonder whether you were still behind me or not." Her voice was low, softer than her now-unsteady steps.

Wein had nothing else to say. That seemed like a cue telling him to stay silent and follow her rather than speak—the silence stretching as the moon rose higher.

Eventually, they reached the balcony. Wein leaned his arm on the railing while Loraine stood beside him, gazing at the red moon.

"Uhmm…"

"The mist doesn't reach the top?" Loraine realized, prompting Wein to look down—the mist was confined to the third floor, not reaching the fifth.

"Careful!" Wein grabbed Loraine's hand as her footing became unsteady, her body slightly leaning over.

She wouldn't die if she used mana to cushion the fall, but this mist would damage her internal organs for a while—or even permanently if she inhaled it.

"Eh. Thank you." Loraine smiled, her voice restrained as she stepped back from the railing.

Loraine gripped Wein's hand tightly, then realized she was still holding it. "Could you let go of my hand now?" Wein said gently.

"Oh, sorry… I'll let go now." Loraine stepped back a little, followed by a few more questions and conversations.

"Elaina Arcveil is quite impressive. You're also impressive—especially the first time I saw you," Loraine said after another moment of silence.

Wein recalled all the fragments of memory—he hadn't managed to find his sister and only remembered his younger sister, Elena Arcveil.

But then, more things surfaced in his mind until he remembered his older sister—an extraordinary figure and a public icon across the continent of Britonia.

"Yes, I hope I can be like her." Wein sighed, then turned and smiled at Loraine.

"What about you—do you have any siblings?" Wein asked, trying to grow closer to Loraine, his partner for the upcoming match.

Loraine moved a bit closer to Wein and opened her mouth. "I don't have any siblings."

"Ah, I'm sorry." Wein apologized, feeling sorry for Loraine at the same time.