Supreme Hunter of Beautiful Souls

"May I come in?" Mizuki asked, addressing the Director's advisor. The woman gave a brief nod, stepping aside to let her pass, followed closely by Kael and the man who called himself an Assistant.

As soon as they crossed the door, the Assistant struggled uselessly, his voice laced with indignation. "Let me go!"

Mizuki didn't bother to respond immediately, merely casting a cold glance in his direction, her golden eyes glowing with silent danger. "The only reason I haven't torn all your limbs off yet is because I haven't been given permission... yet."

The man trembled instantly, his skin paling as if the weight of her words were something tangible.

Kael watched the scene, and without being able to stop himself, a thought crossed his mind. "She's cute."

Umbra, who had been silent until then, gave him a look of pure judgment. "Your definition of 'cute' worries me."

Kael just smirked. "It's all about perspective."

The moment they entered the Director's office, Mizuki did not hesitate for a second. With a swift motion and without a shred of delicacy, she threw the man onto the floor with all her strength.

The impact was brutal. The assistant hit the ground heavily, letting out a groan of pain as his body crashed against the stone floor with a dull thud. He tried to move, but a wave of pain made him shudder as he clutched his shoulder, which had taken the brunt of the fall.

Kael observed the scene with a sigh, crossing his arms. "That was a bit excessive, don't you think?"

Mizuki slowly turned her head toward him, her golden eyes glowing with an eerily calm intensity. "I was still being gentle."

The man on the floor choked on his own saliva, clearly disagreeing with that statement.

Kael, on the other hand, simply smirked. "If that's what you call 'gentle,' I really don't want to see you being cruel."

Umbra chuckled inside Kael's mind. "Now this… this is entertainment."

The Director's office was spacious, adorned with shelves filled with ancient books and scrolls containing centuries of knowledge. A large window behind the main desk allowed the moonlight to partially illuminate the room, as the sun had already set. The air carried a weight of seriousness, something ever-present in this place, and this time was no different.

Altharion, the academy's Director, sat behind the imposing dark wooden desk, his elbows resting on the surface, fingers interlaced in front of his face. He lifted his gaze—first to Mizuki, then to Kael, and finally to the man on the ground, who was still writhing in pain.

Silence stretched for a few seconds before Altharion let out a long sigh. "More trouble… again?" His voice carried a mix of exhaustion and resignation, as if he were already used to dealing with these situations—especially with Kael being at the center of them.

Mizuki crossed her arms and took a step forward, adopting a firm posture. "This time, the problem wasn't caused by Kael, but rather interrupted by him." Her voice was serious, devoid of any hesitation. "This man"—she gestured toward the fallen assistant—"allowed a duel between students to nearly end in tragedy. If Kael hadn't intervened, a student would be dead by now."

Altharion furrowed his brows, his piercing eyes shifting toward the man on the floor. "Explain yourself."

The assistant swallowed hard, trying to find the right words, but before he could even stammer an excuse, Mizuki continued:

"He claimed to be a temporary assistant, but he is clearly unqualified for the position. He failed to intervene when he should have, did nothing to stop one of the students from losing control of their magic, and, even worse, stood idly by while another was about to be executed in broad daylight."

Kael sighed, leaning against the wall with a bored expression. "Basically, they let an incompetent play instructor, and I had to clean up the mess before someone died."

Altharion remained silent for a few moments, analyzing the information. His gaze returned to the assistant, who trembled under his scrutiny. The Director had always carried an intimidating presence, and now, with the gravity of the situation, it was even more evident.

"Do you have anything to say in your defense?" Altharion's voice was calm, but it carried an overwhelming weight.

The man opened and closed his mouth a few times, desperately searching for some justification. "I-I… I didn't think the situation was that dangerous… Students need to learn how to deal with real battles… I… I just wanted to let them settle it among themselves!"

Mizuki scoffed, impatient. "Letting them settle it among themselves doesn't mean allowing one of them to be murdered in front of the entire academy. Your negligence almost cost a life, and if Kael hadn't acted, we'd be dealing with a corpse right now."

Altharion drummed his fingers on the desk, his gaze now filled with frustration. "This is unacceptable."

The man trembled even more, feeling the weight of his impending condemnation. "P-please, I just wanted to help! It wasn't my intention…!"

The Director ignored his pleas and turned to Mizuki. "What was the extent of Kael's interference?"

Mizuki glanced at Kael before answering. "He stopped the attack at the last second. The spell was already about to hit the student—it was an Advanced Lightning Magic—but Kael caught and dissipated it with his hands. If he hadn't done that, we would be dealing with a tragedy, and it probably would have hit more people as well."

Altharion looked at Kael, this time with a more scrutinizing gaze. "So, you were the one who prevented this from happening."

Kael shrugged as if it was nothing. "I just did what anyone would have done."

"No." The Director corrected, his tone firm. "Not everyone could do what you did. Dissipating high-level magic so effortlessly is not something just anyone can decide to do."

Kael didn't reply. He knew Altharion wasn't wrong, but he also didn't like drawing more attention to his abilities.

The Director let out another sigh, closing his eyes for a moment before standing up. "This man will be immediately removed from the academy. Furthermore, I will ensure that he is permanently barred from holding any similar position in any other institution. His negligence cannot be ignored."

The assistant's eyes widened. "W-wait, you can't do this! I—"

"Silence." Altharion's voice cut through the air like a blade, making the man shrink in on himself. "You've done enough. Now, get out of my sight before I decide this punishment isn't severe enough."

Two shadows emerged at the sides of the room—academy guards, ready to escort the man out. He still tried to protest, but a cold glance from Mizuki made him swallow any further complaints, allowing himself to be dragged away without resistance.

As soon as the door shut, Altharion turned his attention back to Kael. "And you… It seems trouble keeps finding you."

Kael chuckled. "I already told you, they come to me."

The Director stared at him for a few seconds before finally letting out a tired sigh. "And now, tell me… That spirit that follows you around—would you say it's also one of the troubles that came to you?"

Kael raised an eyebrow, a smirk forming on his lips. "Ah... so you noticed."

Umbra chuckled inside Kael's mind. "Seems like this old man has sharp eyes. This is going to be interesting."

[Some time later...]

The academy's dining hall was bustling, filled with students talking, laughing, and enjoying their meals after a long day of studying and training. The scent of warm food lingered in the air, mixing with the constant hum of voices.

Kael entered the grand hall without drawing much attention—or at least, he tried to. A few glances still turned his way, mostly due to the events earlier in the courtyard. Discreet murmurs spread among the students, but he simply ignored them.

With a plate of food in hand, he walked to one of the more secluded tables and sat alone, letting out a sigh. The day had been long, and he could finally relax for a moment, away from disputes, accusations, and judging stares.

"At least for a few minutes," Umbra commented in his mind, amusement lacing his tone.

Kael scoffed, stabbing a piece of meat with his fork. "If you say one more word, I swear I'll call for an exorcism."

"Pff, like you could get rid of me that easily."

Kael rolled his eyes, choosing to focus on his food. Silence was a rare luxury in his life, so he intended to savor it while it lasted.

Or so he thought.

Before he could take a second bite, he felt a presence approaching. He didn't need to look to know who it was.

Sylphie.

The elven princess appeared by his side like a whirlwind, carrying a tray with her own meal. Without hesitation, she plopped down next to him as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Kael!" She beamed, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "I finally found you! This place is huge, you know?"

He chewed slowly, casting her a sideways glance. "Haven't you been here before?"

"Yeah, but never to live!" She replied with a shrug. "Anyway, now that I've found you, I'm sitting here!"

He sighed. "Great..."

But before he could accept his fate of sharing the table, another presence emerged on the other side.

Amelia.

Unlike Sylphie, she didn't bother hiding her irritated expression as she pulled out a chair and sat down, crossing her arms.

"So this is how it's going to be now?" she asked, staring directly at Sylphie. "You're going to stick to him all the time?"

"Huh?" Sylphie blinked, tilting her head. "And if I am?"

Amelia's eyes narrowed. "Then we have a problem."

Kael let out a heavy sigh and set down his fork. "Are you two seriously going to do this here, now?"

Sylphie smiled innocently. "Do what?"

"Competing like two children."

"Competing? I don't need to compete with anyone," Amelia retorted, turning her face away with a disdainful look. "It's just that some people don't know how to respect boundaries."

"Boundaries?" Sylphie let out a soft laugh. "I know mine. But tell me, Amelia... what are yours?"

Kael massaged his temples. "Damn it... I just wanted to eat in peace."