The day after the incident, the entire Royal Academy of Magic was immersed in a strange atmosphere.

Walking through the corridors under repair, I could feel that the gazes directed at me were completely different now. They were no longer looks of pity or mockery, but stares filled with awe, admiration, and even fear.


"It's Senior Eliana..."

"If she hadn't saved us last night..."

"I heard she subdued that terrifying Chimera all by herself..."


"As expected of Duke Ethelgard's daughter..."

Whispers continuously reached my ears. I maintained an elegant pace, walking through the crowd with a composed expression. These praises were nothing new to me—in my previous life, as a candidate for the position of royal consort, I had enjoyed similar treatment.


Only back then, those compliments eventually transformed into the executioner's blade.

So now, I maintain a rational vigilance toward such reputation. Fame is a double-edged sword; it can elevate you higher, but also make your fall more devastating.

"Miss Eliana."

An authoritative voice came from behind me. I turned around to see the academy's vice-principal, Professor Gregory, walking toward me. Several senior professors I recognized followed behind him.

"Professors, good morning." I performed a standard noble courtesy.

"The Academy Principal wishes to discuss some details about last night's incident with you," Professor Gregory's expression was serious, "if it's convenient for you..."

"Of course." I nodded, "I am ready to cooperate with the academy's investigation at any time."

The group arrived at the academy principal's office. It was a large room with elegant decorations, bookshelves around the room were filled with ancient magical texts, and the air was permeated with the smell of parchment and ink.

Academy Principal Edwin Merrick sat behind a large oak desk, his face, carved with wrinkles by the years, was filled with exhaustion. Clearly, last night's incident had brought tremendous pressure to the old man.

"Miss Eliana, please sit down," he gestured toward the chair across from his desk, "First, I would like to express my most sincere gratitude on behalf of the academy. If not for your actions, the consequences would have been unimaginable."

"It was what I should do, Principal," I replied calmly, "As a member of the academy, protecting fellow students is only natural."

"But..." the Academy Head frowned, "I need to understand some details. How was the seal of that Chimera broken? How did you master the method to subdue it so quickly? And..." he paused, "the level of magic you've demonstrated is far beyond the scope of a student."

The other professors in the room also looked at me with inquisitive gazes. I could feel their doubts—how could a sixteen-year-old student possibly possess such powerful magic?

But I had already prepared a response to address such skepticism.

"Regarding the cause of the seal being broken, I believe this should be confirmed through an official investigation." I maintained a polite but distant tone, "As for my level of magic... the Ethelgard family has studied Ancient Thaumaturgy for generations, and I've been learning under the guidance of our family's thaumaturges since childhood. Additionally..."

I took out a thick roll of parchment from my magic pouch.

"When handling the crisis last night, I noticed some serious vulnerabilities in the academy's sealing system. I worked through the night to prepare a reinforcement proposal, hoping it would help with the academy's security management."

The Academy Principal took the parchment and carefully read it after unfolding it. As he read deeper, his expression became increasingly surprised.

"This... this analysis..." he muttered, "the energy circulation defects in the sealing array... the instability factors of the magical nodes... and this design for a multi-layered backup insurance mechanism..."

Other professors also gathered around, eagerly examining the proposal I had submitted. Soon, a chorus of exclamations filled the room.

"How ingenious..."

"This level of understanding of Ancient Sigillography..."

"Even we professors who specialize in Sealing Arts might not have devised such a comprehensive improvement plan..."

The academy head looked up, seeing me with a completely new perspective: "Student Eliana, your proposal... can be described as flawless. The academy's sealing system indeed has these vulnerabilities you've pointed out, and your proposed solutions are not only practical but also highly innovative."

He paused for a moment, then solemnly said: "On behalf of the academy, I formally invite you to serve as the chief advisor for the sealing system improvement project. Of course, this won't affect your regular studies."

The room once again filled with murmurs of discussion. A sixteen-year-old student being appointed as the academy's chief advisor was absolutely unprecedented in the history of the Royal Academy of Magic.

But I just nodded calmly: "I am honored to contribute to the academy's security."

Just then, there was a knock on the office door. It was Professor Thomas, the security director responsible for investigating last night's incident.

"Academy Head, the investigation results are out." Professor Thomas's expression was grim. "The cause of the incident was indeed as we suspected... it was caused by student Lina Erlande's violation of regulations."

The atmosphere in the room instantly became heavy.

"What are the specific details?" the Academy Head asked in a deep voice.

"According to on-site evidence and witness testimonies, student Lina entered the Forbidden Zone of the Sealing Chamber alone last night and attempted to approach the Chimera's sealing platform. Her magical power resonated and conflicted with the sealing array, causing cracks in the seal..." Professor Thomas's voice was heavy, "If student Eliana hadn't stopped her in time, the entire academy might have been destroyed."

The Academy Head's face turned ashen: "Why would she do such a thing? Who gave her permission to enter the Sealing Chamber?"

"She claimed that she wanted to prove her strength by challenging the Chimera alone." Professor Thomas shook his head. "As for the authorization... she used some sort of special pass."

I laughed coldly to myself. Without even guessing, I knew that the "special pass" must have been given to her by Prince Theo. This foolish woman nearly destroyed the entire academy just to impress her crush.

"I suggest severe punishment for student Lina," Vice Dean Gorey said sternly. "This behavior constitutes endangerment of public safety. According to academy regulations, she should be..."

"Wait."

A familiar voice came from outside the door. Prince Theo walked in, with that handsome face that I found so disgusting.

"Your Highness Theo." The Academy Principal hurriedly stood up and bowed, while the other professors also paid their respects.

"I heard about last night's incident." Theo's tone was calm, but I could feel the authority in his words. "Lina's behavior was indeed inappropriate, but I don't think it's necessary to be overly severe. She's just a sixteen-year-old girl, and making mistakes is inevitable."

Vice Dean Gorey frowned: "But Your Highness, her actions nearly caused..."

"I understand everyone's concerns." Theo interrupted him. "But we should also consider that the incident was ultimately resolved perfectly, without any casualties. Moreover, Lina herself is also a victim, having suffered serious injuries during the incident, and is currently receiving treatment in the infirmary."

He turned to the Dean: "I suggest giving Lina a month of detention, allowing her to properly reflect on her actions. This would serve an educational purpose without being too harsh. What do you think, Dean Merrick?"

A flash of difficulty crossed the Academy Director's face. He clearly understood the subtext of Theo's words—this wasn't a suggestion, but an order. As a member of the royal family, Theo wielded enough power to influence the academy's decisions.

"I... I will consider Your Highness's suggestion," the Academy Director ultimately compromised.

I sat in my chair, coldly watching this power play unfold. Theo used his status and position to effortlessly exonerate Lina from blame. A major transgression that could have destroyed the entire academy was thus dealt with dismissively.

This is the essence of power. Not justice, not fairness, but pure exchange of interests.

"Eliana." Theo suddenly looked at me, those golden eyes carrying a complex emotion, "Thank you for your hard work last night. You saved everyone, and I express my gratitude on behalf of the royal family."

I stood up and performed a standard courtesy: "Your Highness flatters me. Protecting my fellow students is my responsibility."

My tone was as calm as if I were discussing the weather, without any trace of respect or closeness. This sense of detachment made Theo's brow furrow slightly.

"If there's nothing else, I would like to take my leave now." I nodded to the Dean, "I have class to attend."

"Of course, of course." The Dean nodded, "Student Eliana, thank you again for your brave actions last night. The Academy will never forget your contribution."

I politely nodded, then walked out of the office.

Behind me came the sounds of Theo and the Dean continuing their discussion, but I had no interest in listening further. I had seen too much of these hypocritical power games in my previous life.

After leaving the administration building, I walked straight to the library. This was my favorite place in the academy - quiet, tidy, and most importantly, rarely would anyone come to disturb me.

But today was clearly an exception.

Just as I reached the entrance of the library, I saw a familiar figure. Karen was standing at the door, seemingly waiting for someone.

When he saw me appear, a flash of complex emotion passed through his eyes.

「Eliana.」 He took the initiative to greet me, his tone much softer than usual.

「Karen.」 I stopped in my tracks, 「Is there something you need?」

He was silent for a moment, as if organizing his thoughts. Then, he bowed deeply to me.

「I want to thank you.」 His voice was solemn, 「Last night, if it weren't for you... we all would have died there.」

This surprised me a little. Given Karen's personality, he rarely expressed gratitude so directly.

「You don't need to thank me.」 I said flatly, 「I was just doing what I thought was right.」

「No, I must thank you.」 Karen straightened up, looking at me with unprecedented sincerity, 「Not just because you saved us, but also because...」

He paused, then continued: 「I previously... underestimated you.」

These words stirred a ripple in my heart. In my memory, this was the first time Karen had so directly admitted her mistake.

"I always thought you were just a noble lady relying on your family's status," his voice was somewhat bitter, "Even though you performed excellently at the academy, I believed it was only because you had better resources and education. But last night... what you displayed was not just powerful magic, but true courage and wisdom."

He looked at me, those typically cold blue eyes now filled with sincerity: "You're not the person I imagined you to be. You are stronger and more deserving of respect than anyone I've ever met."

This straightforward acknowledgment gave me a long-forgotten feeling of... satisfaction? No, more like the comfort of being understood.

In my previous life, my efforts and talents were always misunderstood or ignored. Everyone only saw my background and status; no one truly recognized my abilities.

And now, this former rival was, for the first time, looking at me as an equal and acknowledging my worth.

"I accept your gratitude." I nodded, my tone still calm, but something in the depths of my heart was quietly changing, "However, I have never considered you an enemy, Karen."

He was slightly taken aback: "Then what do you consider me?"

I thought for a moment, then gave an honest answer: "A worthy opponent. Now... perhaps I could say an equal companion with whom I can have a dialogue."

Karen's face showed a rare smile. It wasn't his usual polite business smile, but a genuinely heartfelt expression of joy.

"Companion... I like that word," he said, "Then, Eliana, if you don't mind... could we go to the library together? I want to learn more about Ancient Thaumaturgy."

I looked at him, this silver-haired youth who appeared more sincere now than at any other time.

"Of course." I pushed open the library door, "But I should warn you, Ancient Thaumaturgy is not an easy subject to master."

"I'm ready to learn," Karen followed behind me as we walked into the library. "After all, I have an excellent companion to consult with."

As we walked side by side through the long corridor of the library, I realized that today was not only a turning point for my reputation at the academy, but also a turning point in my relationship with Karen.

From competitors to equal companions, this was perhaps another unexpected gain that rebirth had brought me.