It had been days since I walked the worn paths of Ravenwood Academy, but every step I took away from it felt nned—by me, of course.


    I hadn''t been expelled so much as orchestrated my own exit.


    The academy was rigid in its rules and regtions, but it also held secrets andyers that most of the students and even some staff didn''t bother to peel back.


    My goal, however, demanded that I go deeper, and an expulsion was my best route there.


    No one questioned a student''s departure, especially if they''d been removed for "concerning conduct."


    It was almost ironic.


    The rumors I''d seeded myself had blossomed exactly as I intended, prompting enough pressure from the council for an expulsion hearing.


    Now, the consequences of being expelled from Ravenwood weren''t trivial.


    Typically, a student removed from the academy was required to face a visit to Saint Eldred''s Royal Cathedral—an institution that stretched far beyond the academy''s walls.


    Saint Eldred''s Royal Cathedral funded nearly every facet of Ravenwood''s operations, supplementing what the wealthy families themselves didn''t cover.


    As if that wasn''t enough, they backed the empire''s royal family as well, effectively controlling its power.


    A cathedral as influential as this could crush anyone it deemed *unfit* under the guise of moral retribution.


    And they made sure no one expelled from the academy escaped their watchful eye.


    So I found myself here on their terms, making my way to the cathedral as required.


    The carriage ride was long, and the chilled silence from the driver left me with only my own thoughts forpany.


    I could still recall every step, every decision I''d made leading up to my downfall.


    This wasn''t a punishment—it was a means to an end.


    I hadn''t lost my ce at the academy; I''d simply moved my game to a muchrger board.


    The headquarters of Saint Eldred Royal Cathedral was as grand as its reputation.


    Pirs, towering and cold, lined the path up to the entrance, and the structure loomed over me like some ancient judge waiting to pass sentence.


    Inside, priests and acolytes bustled quietly, moving about in perfectly choreographed steps, each bearing the Cathedral''s insignia.


    An intricate emblem symbolizing their allegiance to the different gods.


    Everything within was precisely arranged to evoke a sense of awe and submission, making those entering feel immediately out of ce.


    I was soon ushered into a side room, a small chamber decorated with stained ss windows that cast colorful shadows on the floor.


    A stone-faced cleric, probably just a few years older than me, sat behind a wide desk and motioned for me to sit.


    "What is your name?" he asked, his voice sharp but disinterested.


    "Noah Ashbourne," I replied, keeping my tone respectful.


    "And your reason for expulsion?"


    "Conduct unbing of a student," I answered smoothly.


    "Allegedly… tampering with magical runes, casting prohibited spells, and endangering other students."


    Each charge sounded as nned as it was.


    Even now, I could see his brows raise in mild surprise, as if he''d expected me to deny it.


    "We''ll verify each of these statements, Mr. Ashbourne."


    He continued, his gaze studying me.


    "Your expulsion alone warrants an investigation, and if we confirm anyw-breaking activity within our records, it will be reported to the empire''s court."


    "Understood."


    I nodded, keeping my face neutral, even as my mind raced.


    This was part of it—the very core of why I''d allowed myself to be expelled in the first ce.


    The cleric continued with his questions, but nothing rattled me.


    My answers were precise, each crafted as carefully as any spell I''d ever learned.


    The questions were meant to intimidate, probing for a misstep, a hint of remorse or fear.


    But I''d anticipated each one. When he finally closed his ledger, he looked somewhat deted.


    "You''ll need to return in a few days'' time," he said.


    "We''ll need to verify these ounts.


    While it seems you haven''t broken any empirew yet, the academy regtions… well, they''re sacred here."


    "Of course. I''ll return when called upon," I said, holding back a smirk.


    My time here was already proving fruitful, and soon, the real reason for my visit would unfold.


    You see, I wasn''t here for repentance or reflection.


    No, my true motivey in acquiring an object of significant power.


    The cathedral housed many relics and artifacts, some of which had been under guard for centuries.


    And among these relics was one that would grant me a runic ability—a power both rare and useful.


    To the cathedral, this item was a useless relic.


    To me, it was the edge I needed.


    In the game''s original storyline, Draven, the so-called *viin,* was the one who''d seized this artifact.


    The object itself had gone unnoticed by most yers, a mere backdrop to Draven''s climb to power.


    He''d killed the Archbishop of the cathedral in cold blood to take control of the cathedral, discarding the item itself as inconsequential.


    But that item was anything but inconsequential—it held a potential Draven either couldn''t see or didn''t care for.


    Either way, I had no intention of following his oversight.


    Another artifact I sought, known as the Runic Talisman of Subjugation, granted a rare skill that could control and manipte the mana flow within runic symbols.


    It was a relic that could make or break a spell with a mere touch, and in the right hands, it could bend wards and seals, altering their power to one''s advantage.


    If I managed to im it, the possibilities were endless.


    After a few hours in the cathedral''s halls, giving my statements and waiting for the clerics to finish their procedures, I was finally dismissed and was put on standby.


    But as I left, I couldn''t help ncing back at the inner sanctum, where the Archbishop''s quartersy.


    In the game, Draven had ended the Archbishop''s life with no remorse, leaving chaos in his wake.


    That wouldn''t be my path, though.


    My n was far subtler.


    I''d already nted the seeds for the Archbishop''s… recement.


    Patience, after all, was a weapon just as powerful as any sword.


    As I made my way back down the towering steps of Saint Eldred''s Royal Cathedral, I couldn''t help but feel a flicker of satisfaction.


    I''d gotten myself expelled, entered the heart of one of the empire''s most powerful institutions, and begun nting my way toward a prize that would have otherwise been beyond reach.


    The risks were enormous, but I''d orchestrated everything down to thest detail.


    Now, all that was left was the final stage of my n: to get my hands on the Relic.