Arin gazed outside, noticing that the sun was already rising. He had just finished his conversation with Roxanne, who was also looking out the window.
"A genius, huh?" Arin whispered to himself.
"Master," Seraphine suddenly spoke up. "I've been meaning to ask you something for a while."
Arin furrowed his brows. "Knowing you, it must be something annoying."
"No, no," Seraphine quickly said. "It's nothing annoying. I'm serious."
Arin sighed. "Okay, go on."
"After that battle against Alex in the forest," she began, "I've been thinking… Wouldn't it be good if I also trained to improve my skills?"
Arin raised a brow but remained silent, allowing her to continue.
"I mean, if I take my physical form, I can practice for that short amount of time," she explained. "If I keep at it, I'll definitely get stronger over time."
Arin didn't see anything wrong with her logic. In fact, it would benefit him in the long run.
"Ah, you finally said something reasonable for the first time in a while," Arin remarked.
"Master…" Seraphine muttered. "That's harsh!"
Arin ignored her complaint and got up, stretching slightly before heading toward the toilet. "Alright, that makes sense. You'll start today."
Seraphine's eyes brightened.
"I'll leave you here while I go to class," Arin added. "When the time elapses, you'll return."
Roxanne remained silent, still gazing out the window. As Arin entered the toilet, she smiled faintly, her expression calm yet thoughtful.
'I hope you're doing the right thing, Lord Liora…'
The Academy grounds buzzed with life, the chatter of students mixing with the steady sound of footsteps.
Arin stepped out from the toilet, adjusting his uniform. His eyes fell on Roxanne, who was still looking outside. However, something was different this time.
Her mouth was slightly open, her eyes wide with wonder as she stared at the multitude of students walking about.
"Roxanne…" Arin called as he adjusted his sleeve.
She flinched slightly at his sudden call, quickly turning to face him.
"Oh, I'm sorry," she said. "I spaced out for a moment."
"It's fine," Arin replied. "But I thought a sight would be normal for you."
Considering what Seraphine had told him about the Vampire Kingdom's Academy, he found it odd that Roxanne looked so fascinated.
"The thing is…" She lowered her head slightly before continuing. "I never attended the Academy in the Vampire Kingdom."
"That's surprising," Seraphine said. "There must be a good reason for that."
"After Lord Liora took me as her student, she decided to teach me everything herself," Roxanne explained. "She never allowed me to attend the Academy."
Arin squinted his eyes. "Did she ever tell you why?"
Roxanne shook her head. "No, but I obeyed her nonetheless. I trust that she had a good reason."
"That's strange," Seraphine said. "Even some of the few Vampires who are lucky enough to be students of a Progenitor still attend the Academy."
Her words made Arin think of something.
"What happens if a Vampire becomes the student of a Progenitor?" he asked.
"Hm, the Progenitor teaches them about Blood Energy," Seraphine began. "The Academy also teaches it, but learning from a Progenitor allows the student to grasp it much faster. Any Blood Skill they learn directly from the Progenitor will be stronger than what they would learn at the Academy."
Arin assumed she was done and was about to speak, but she suddenly continued.
"But apart from that, the major thing is that if a Progenitor picks a student, they will also teach them their Special Ability."
"Huh?" Arin muttered, surprised. "Then that means Progenitors won't just choose any Vampire as their student."
"There must be a certain criteria," he added.
"Maybe the criteria is just being a genius like Roxanne," Seraphine said.
Roxanne had returned her gaze to the students, a small smile forming on her lips.
"They all look so happy…" she murmured. "It must be a wonderful experience."
Arin scoffed. "I'm done. It's time to go."
Roxanne nodded and imbued her Blood Energy into the ring. Instantly, it glowed brightly.
As the light dimmed, a black bracelet remained where Roxanne had stood.
Arin picked it up and slipped it onto his wrist. He already understood how this particular Artifact worked—Roxanne could now observe his surroundings, but she wouldn't be able to communicate with him.
After securing the bracelet, he opened a drawer, pulling out a certain paper. His eyes skimmed the list of important dates he had written.
"Three days from now, huh?" Arin murmured. "I think it's time to confront him."
Quickly, he released Seraphine, who materialized in front of him.
Arin shot her a sharp look. "Practice, just like you said. And don't even think about doing anything stupid like leaving the room."
Seraphine put a hand on her chest and nodded. "Understood, Master."
Arin gave her a final glance before walking out the door. As he stepped into the hallway, he heard her voice behind him.
"Bye! I'll be right back in your head!"
Descending the stairs with his hands in his pockets, Arin stepped outside the dormitory building.
The moment he looked up, his eyes locked onto someone he definitely didn't expect to see.
Riya was standing nearby, her gaze fixed on him, a small smile on her face. Something about the look in her eyes made Arin suspicious.
'Why do I feel like she's here because of me?'
Neither of them moved at first. They just stood there, silently staring at each other.
Then, suddenly, Riya began walking toward him.
Arin remained still, waiting for her to reach him.
Finally, she stopped in front of him, her smile still present. "Good morning, Arin Vale."
Arin met her gaze calmly. "Good morning, Miss Riya."
For a brief moment, Riya's expression changed—her brows furrowed slightly as if she had noticed something.
"What's with the sour expression?" she asked.
"Oh," Arin let out a forced laugh as he rubbed the back of his head. "It's nothing."
Riya smiled again. "If you say so."
Turning away, she began walking toward the main Academy building. However, just as she began walking away, Arin caught something she whispered under her breath.
Arin's eyes widened slightly.