The Villian Who Broke The Story

The academy felt different when the semester was coming to an end.

The usual rush between classes had disappeared.

Students still walked through the corridors, but there was no urgency in their steps. Most of them had already finished their examinations, and the few who were still waiting for results had nothing left to do except speculate about their grades.

For once, the academy almost felt peaceful.

Kael Draven found that suspicious.

He stood in the middle of the Disciplinary Committee’s office, staring at the ceiling.

”Something is wrong.”

Charlotte, who was sitting at the opposite end of the room, looked up from the book she had been reading.

”What?”

”It’s too quiet.”

Charlotte stared at him.

”It’s the end of the semester.”

”Exactly.”

”That doesn’t explain anything.”

”It explains everything.”

Charlotte closed her book.

”You’re strange.”

Kael shrugged.

”I’ve been told.”

Across the room, Lynx was asleep on a couch.

He had been asleep for nearly an hour.

Nobody had bothered waking him.

The two beast-kin twins were sitting beside one another at the large table, quietly arguing over a deck of cards. George was sorting through several reports, while Jace was polishing one of his short swords.

Cairo stood behind his desk, reading through a stack of documents.

Kael looked around the room.

”So this is what the Disciplinary Committee does when there isn’t a crisis?”

Cairo didn’t look up.

”We work.”

”Looks like everyone has a different definition of work.”

Cairo finally raised his head.

”You’ve been here for less than a week and you’re already criticizing the organization?”

”I’m observing.”

”You’re complaining.”

”That’s also an observation.”

Charlotte snorted.

Cairo’s eyebrow twitched.

”You two are going to be a headache.”

Kael smiled.

”Thank you.”

”That wasn’t a compliment.”

”I accepted it as one.”

Cairo sighed and returned to his papers.

Charlotte shook her head.

”I don’t understand how you became the top-ranked student.”

Kael turned toward her.

”Talent.”

”That’s not an answer.”

”Sleep.”

”That’s even worse.”

”Natural talent and sleep.”

Charlotte stared at him.

”You really are impossible.”

Kael smiled.

Before anyone could continue the conversation, the door opened.

One of the academy’s messengers stood outside.

”Head Cairo.”

Cairo looked over.

”Yes?”

”The Student Council has sent word. The end-of-semester celebration will take place tomorrow evening.”

Kael’s expression immediately changed.

”Party?”

The messenger nodded.

”Yes.”

Kael turned toward Charlotte.

”You didn’t tell me.”

Charlotte blinked.

”I didn’t know I was supposed to.”

”You knew.”

”I heard about it yesterday.”

”And you didn’t tell me?”

Charlotte looked away.

”I assumed someone else would.”

Kael placed a hand over his chest.

”After everything we’ve been through?”

Charlotte rolled her eyes.

”You’re being dramatic.”

”That’s hurtful.”

Cairo interrupted before the conversation could become worse.

”Everyone in the committee is invited.”

Kael’s eyes brightened.

”Even me?”

”Especially you.”

”Then I’m definitely going.”

Cairo stared at him.

”Don’t embarrass the committee.”

Kael smiled.

”I make no promises.”

The messenger bowed before leaving.

For a moment, nobody spoke.

Then Lynx suddenly opened one eye.

”Party.”

Everyone turned toward him.

He yawned.

”Will there be food?”

Kael nodded.

”Probably.”

Lynx closed his eye again.

”I’m attending.”

Charlotte looked at him.

”You weren’t even awake.”

”I heard food.”

Kael laughed.

”At least someone understands priorities.”

Cairo rubbed his forehead.

”Why did I recruit any of you?”

The beast-kin twins exchanged looks.

One of them quietly said, ”Because we’re talented.”

The other nodded.

”Very talented.”

Cairo stared at them.

”I regret asking.”

A few minutes later, another document arrived.

This one wasn’t from the Student Council.

Cairo opened it.

His expression changed.

Kael noticed immediately.

”What happened?”

Cairo didn’t answer.

He read the document again.

Then folded it.

”Nothing.”

Kael narrowed his eyes.

”That doesn’t look like nothing.”

Cairo stood.

”Charlotte, come with me.”

Charlotte rose.

”Where?”

”Library.”

”Why?”

”I need you to retrieve some old disciplinary records.”

Charlotte nodded.

Kael watched them leave.

Something bothered him.

Not the request.

Cairo’s expression.

He had seen that look before.

It was the expression of someone who had just received information they didn’t want to share.

Kael looked toward Lynx.

The dark elf was still lying on the couch.

”You saw that too, didn’t you?”

Lynx opened his eyes.

”Yes.”

”What was it?”

”Don’t know.”

”You were looking at him.”

”I was looking at the ceiling.”

Kael stared.

Lynx stared back.

”You’re a terrible liar.”

”I wasn’t lying.”

”Then you’re terrible at explaining things.”

Lynx closed his eyes again.

Kael sighed.

He decided to leave it alone.

For now.

Elsewhere in the academy, Auriella walked through one of the quieter corridors.

She had received her Student Council uniform that morning.

The dark fabric fit neatly around her body, with the council emblem resting over her chest.

She stopped in front of a large window.

The academy grounds stretched beneath her.

Students were scattered everywhere.

Some were training.

Others were talking.

A few were already preparing to leave for the holidays.

Auriella watched them without much expression.

”Still thinking about Kael?”

A voice came from behind her.

She turned.

The Student Council President stood several steps away.

Auriella nodded.

”Yes.”

”You know you don’t have to challenge him immediately.”

”I know.”

”Then why are you already thinking about it?”

Auriella looked back toward the grounds.

”Because he isn’t staying still.”

The president smiled.

”That’s true.”

”His growth doesn’t make sense.”

”Kael Draven is unusual.”

”Unusual isn’t enough to describe him.”

The president’s expression became slightly more serious.

”Then learn.”

Auriella looked at her.

”Learn?”

”Watch him.”

Auriella nodded.

”I intend to.”

Kael eventually left the committee office.

He had no particular destination.

He simply wanted to walk.

The semester had been strange.

When he first entered the academy, his only goal had been to change the story.

Now everything was moving faster than he expected.

Zion had become stronger.

Auriella had joined the Student Council.

Charlotte was now connected to the Disciplinary Committee.

The Interhigh Tournament was approaching.

And somewhere in the background, the Velvet Gang was still moving.

Kael stopped.

His expression changed.

Someone was standing at the end of the corridor.

A student.

He looked ordinary.

Too ordinary.

The student noticed Kael and immediately turned around.

Kael frowned.

”Hey.”

The student kept walking.

Kael followed.

”Wait.”

The student increased his pace.

Kael’s eyes narrowed.

That was enough.

He accelerated.

The student suddenly disappeared around a corner.

Kael followed.

Nothing.

The corridor was empty.

Kael looked around.

Then he noticed something on the floor.

A small black piece of cloth.

He crouched.

Picked it up.

There was a silver mark embroidered into it.

A very familiar mark.

Kael’s expression became cold.

”Velvet.”

He stood.

For several seconds, he said nothing.

Then he smiled.

Not because he found it amusing.

Because he finally understood something.

The academy wasn’t peaceful.

It was simply quiet.

There was a difference.

Kael folded the piece of cloth and placed it inside his pocket.

He wasn’t going to report it immediately.

Not yet.

There was something he wanted to know first.

Who had left it there?

And why had they allowed him to find it?

That evening, Cairo stood alone in the Disciplinary Committee office.

The others had already left.

He unfolded the document he had received earlier.

His expression darkened.

A student’s name was written across the top.

Second Year.

Sean.

Cairo had already read the report several times.

The investigation into Sean’s death had stalled.

There were no witnesses.

No clear killer.

No reliable evidence.

But now they had found something.

A missing piece.

A student had been seen entering a restricted corridor on the same night Sean died.

The student’s name was unfamiliar.

Cairo stared at it.

Then his eyes shifted toward the window.

”Velvet...”

He muttered the word quietly.

The academy had been trying to avoid admitting it.

But the evidence was becoming impossible to ignore.

Someone inside the academy was working for them.

And if that person was connected to Sean’s death, then tomorrow’s celebration could become something very different.

The following morning, Kael arrived earlier than usual.

Charlotte nearly fell out of her chair when she saw him.

”You’re early.”

Kael smiled.

”I can be responsible.”

She stared at him.

”For one day?”

”Let’s not ruin the moment.”

Zion, sitting nearby, glanced over.

”Something happened.”

Kael looked at him.

”Why?”

”You don’t arrive early.”

”Maybe I’ve changed.”

Zion snorted.

”I doubt it.”

Auriella glanced toward Kael.

Her eyes lingered on him for a moment.

She noticed the change in his expression.

”You found something.”

Kael looked at her.

She was perceptive.

Too perceptive.

”Nothing important.”

Auriella didn’t believe him.

Neither did Zion.

Charlotte looked between them.

”What are you three talking about?”

Kael smiled.

”Nothing.”

Charlotte narrowed her eyes.

”That’s the second time you’ve said that today.”

”And both times it was true.”

Before Charlotte could argue, Lyra entered the classroom.

She stopped when she saw Kael already seated.

Her eyes widened.

”Kael?”

”Good morning.”

Lyra stared.

”Are you sick?”

The entire class laughed.

Kael sighed.

”Teacher, I’m trying to improve.”

Lyra walked toward her desk.

”Then I’ll cherish this moment.”

Kael leaned back.

For the first time in several days, he felt genuinely relaxed.

Tomorrow was the party.

The semester was ending.

The Interhigh Tournament was approaching.

And something was moving beneath the surface of the academy.

Kael didn’t know what it was yet.

But he had learned one thing during his time in this world.

Whenever everything became quiet...

Something was usually about to happen.