I cleaned up the traces of battle and prepared to return to the rendezvous point from the depths of the forest. The fight with the Shadow Wolf ended quickly, but it consumed more magical power than I had anticipated. However, the gains were enormous—not only did I verify the power of "Stardust Weaving," but I also obtained a valuable high-grade magic stone.

More importantly, I am now certain that I possess the strength to survive in this world.


On the way back, I deliberately took a detour to avoid paths where I might encounter other students. Although the Shadow Wolf had been thoroughly purified, the battlefield would still bear some traces of the fight. If someone discovered that a student had defeated a mid-level magical beast alone, it would inevitably attract unwanted attention.

Keeping a low profile is now my fundamental principle of action.

When I returned to the meeting point, other teams were gradually coming back as well. Most students appeared to have completed the basic task requirements—defeating three low-level magical creatures and obtaining magic stones. Their faces radiated joy from their success as they shared exciting moments from their battles with each other.


Lina's team was naturally the center of attention. She stood side by side with the prince, surrounded by other noble students, just like a classic scene from a fairy tale. Judging from their relaxed demeanor, the task must not have been very challenging for them.

Karen's team appeared much quieter. I noticed that their equipment still bore traces of battle, and everyone's expression was rather serious. It seemed that the battles they encountered were more intense than expected.


"Good work, everyone!" Mentor Klaus clapped his hands, "Now let's confirm what everyone has obtained. Please come forward in team order to display the magic stones you've acquired."

The verification process went very smoothly. Most teams successfully completed the basic requirements, and several stronger teams even defeated four to five monsters. Lina's team displayed six mana stones, drawing a wave of admiration.

When it was my turn, I took out four Lesser Mana Stones—three from Slimes, and another one I had collected earlier from the forest outskirts. As for that precious Shadow Wolf mana stone, I had already stored it in my personal pouch.

"Very good, student Ethelgard." Mentor Klaus nodded in approval of my results, "To achieve such results while acting alone is indeed impressive."

I politely nodded in thanks without saying much.

Karen's team went last. To my surprise, they not only displayed a large quantity of Lesser Mana Stones but also produced a high-grade mana stone emitting a dark purple luster.

"Is this... a Shadow Wolf's magic stone?" Mentor Klaus's expression instantly became serious, "Where did you encounter it?"

"Deep in the forest," Karen replied calmly, "After completing the basic mission, we detected unusual magical fluctuations and decided to investigate. We ended up finding a mutated Shadow Wolf."

"A mutated Shadow Wolf..." the mentor frowned, "This kind of magical creature shouldn't appear in the examination area. And with your level of strength, dealing with it should have been quite difficult."

"It was indeed very difficult," one of Karen's teammates added, "We barely defeated it using almost all our strength. Karen performed exceptionally well; her organization and command at critical moments saved all of us."

"Is that so..." Mentor Klaus thoughtfully looked at the magic stone. "Being able to defeat a mutated Shadow Wolf indeed proves your abilities. However, this incident is very unusual. The academy needs to thoroughly investigate the security conditions of the examination area to ensure similar situations do not happen again."

Hearing this, a subtle feeling welled up inside me.

The magic stone Karen displayed, judging from its appearance and magical fluctuations, was completely identical to the Shadow Wolf I had defeated. But the problem is, I had thoroughly purified that Shadow Wolf, so how could there possibly be remains for them to find?

Unless...

I carefully observed Karen's expression. He looked calm, just like a student who had truly experienced a difficult battle. But beneath that calmness, I seemed to detect something deeper—a subtle demeanor unique to someone who knows something.

Could it be that he discovered something?

After the assessment ended, students began to leave in small groups. I was also preparing to return to the dormitory, but after walking a few steps, I decided to go back to the forest to check the situation again.

Although I had done my best to clean up the battle scene, traces of the "Stardust Weaving" magic might still leave some clues. If someone really discovered it, I needed to know the specific situation.

I returned to the spot where I had fought the Shadow Wolf, following the path from my memory. However, the scene before me left me stunned.

The battle site had been completely cleaned up.

Not only that, but someone had deliberately arranged traces of a conventional battle on the ground—sword marks, scorch marks from flames, and several obvious footprints. These traces looked authentic, but to me they seemed particularly contrived.

Because I knew very clearly that the actual battle process wasn't like this at all.

Someone came here after I left, not only clearing all magical traces left by "Stardust Weaving," but also deliberately fabricating the scene of a team battle. And this person is most likely...

"Karen Astra."

I whispered this name.

Thinking back to his performance in front of the mentor just now, as well as the testimonies of his teammates, everything began to become clear. He indeed discovered traces of my battle with the Shadow Wolf, and deduced the truth from the residual magical fluctuations.

But he didn't expose me.

Instead, he chose to cover up the facts, claiming my "achievement" as his own, and used this as an excuse to demand the academy thoroughly investigate security vulnerabilities. From the outcome, he was actually protecting me—both safeguarding my secret and providing me with a reasonable explanation.

This stirred complex emotions within me.

Since my rebirth, I've maintained vigilance and distance from everyone. I don't trust anyone's goodwill, because my previous life taught me that in this world, there's no help without reason.

But now, Karen's behavior broke my understanding.

He helped me, not out of love or other personal feelings, but from some purer motive. Perhaps it was recognition of my abilities, perhaps concern for the academy's safety, or simply a manifestation of chivalry.

Whatever the reason, he was indeed quietly protecting me.

This feeling was unfamiliar, but not unpleasant.

I lingered at the scene for a while longer, carefully observing the traces he had set up. I had to admit that his disguise work was quite professional, even the rhythm and logic of the battle had been thoroughly considered. If I hadn't known the truth, I might have believed that an intense team battle had indeed taken place here.

More importantly, through these details, I realized that Karen's understanding of magical combat was much deeper than I had imagined. He could not only deduce the identity of the spellcaster from magical residue but also accurately simulate different battle scenarios.

This level is already close to that of an advanced magician.

It seems that, whether in the original storyline or in reality, I underestimated Karen Astra.

As I left the forest, my feelings became complicated. On one hand, I was grateful for Karen's help; on the other hand, I worried that this help might bring unnecessary entanglements.

In this world full of conspiracies and betrayals, any form of connection could become a weakness.

But at the same time, I couldn't deny that having someone supporting me in the shadows gave me a sense of warmth. It was a long-forgotten sense of security—not security from personal strength, but security from interpersonal relationships.

Perhaps complete isolation isn't the best survival strategy.

Perhaps I need to reassess my understanding of this world.

Back in my dormitory, I took out the Shadow Wolf's magic stone and examined it carefully under the candlelight. This magic stone not only represented a breakthrough in my magical power but also witnessed an unexpected turning point.

From today on, I am no longer completely alone.

Although there was no explicit agreement or promise between Karen and me, his actions had already demonstrated an attitude. To some extent, we had established a subtle mutual understanding.

This understanding might become another source of strength for me to survive in this world.

Of course, I won't lower my guard because of this. Karen's kindness is genuine, but the dangers of this world are equally real. The person who set the Shadow Wolf trap still lurks in the shadows, ready to launch another attack at any moment.

I must become stronger, not just to protect myself, but also to protect those willing to stand by my side.

"Stardust Weaving" is just a beginning. I still need more power, a more refined plan, and deeper wisdom.

Only in this way can I stand firm in the coming storm and ultimately rewrite the ending of this story.

And now, I am at least certain of one thing: on this thorny path, I am no longer a completely solitary traveler.