Chapter 183: Little Mai is saved.

Two days later, early in the morning, the new group of Soul maidens chosen to go beyond the veil had assembled. The trail master was now confirming the arrivals in contrast to the list he had been given by the academy. It was cold, and the flood warning was still echoing on walls of every city. This was enough to make everyone unsettled.

The trail master blew a loud puff of air through his mustache, ticking off the names on his tablet. "Wait, where is Kirsten Bale?"

Before anyone could answer, a loud, heavy rush of footsteps echoed through the courtyard. Dozens of Soul maidens marched into the grounds, their long cloaks fluttering wildly in the morning breeze. At the front stood Yuda Powers, her face red with fury, her arms waving like windmills. She was one of the most vocal and strongest Soul maidens in the academy.

She was a bit of a rebel, with hair that was half pink-half blonde, and lip piercings that she refused to remove no matter how many times she was disciplined.

Seraphine, who was assisting the trail master stepped forward, tapping her foot on the ground. "What is this circus? Why are you all standing around here instead of at the training grounds? Don’t you know what competition is coming up?"

"Little Mai cannot go!" Yuda shouted at the top of lungs, her voice cracking with pure emotion.

Yuda was the one who had been the most bothered that a young girl of barely ten years old was being sent beyond the veil into dangerous territory. In the academy, everyone knew the bitter truth: it was bad luck that Little Mai had awakened abnormally, just like it was bad luck that so many other potential Soul maidens never awakened at all.

Seraphine scoffed loudly, crossing her arms over her chest and rolling her eyes so hard it looked painful. "Oh, please. Don’t start crying now, Yuda. Every expedition team needs a weakling! How else are we supposed to distract the fierce beasts when things go wrong? She’s the perfect bait."

A collective gasp ran through the crowd.

"She’s ten!" one maiden yelled. "She can barely carry her own sword and gun!"

"No matter the case, Little Mai is too young! There has to be a limit to this madness." another shouted, stepping closer.

Seraphine didn’t listen. With a nasty smirk, she strutted straight over to Little Mai, who was trembling like a wet chick in the shadow of a big supply bag. Seraphine grabbed the girl’s thin wrist, snatching her up like a sack of rice, and hauled her straight to her side.

"She is going whether you like it or not," Seraphine declared, her tone sharp enough to cut wood. She turned to the heavy armored guards standing by the gates. "Guards! If anyone steps out of line or tries to stop this official mission, shoot them down!"

The guards nervously twitched, cocking their guns. The tension in the air was so thick you could slice it with a kitchen knife.

Yuda took three slow steps forward, her hands clenched into tight fists. A bitter, cold smirk played on her lips. "The academy has really gone down the drain, hasn’t it? It has become completely dishonorable because of selfish people like you, Seraphine_ and_" she suddenly paused. Her eyes flicked toward the high inner walls of the courtyard. She froze, afraid to name the real villains pulling the strings from the shadows. She swallowed hard, forced her chin up, and pointed directly at Seraphine. "I don’t care about your orders. Little Mai is only leaving this gate over my dead body!"

"Is that a promise?" Seraphine hissed.

Without another word, Seraphine snapped her fingers. She channeled her energy, using the wind technique, and hurled a violent ball of condensed air straight at Yuda’s face.

Yuda was quick. She leaped high into the air, doing a messy but effective flip right over the howling projectile. The ball of wind missed her completely, shot past her head, and slammed directly into a huge pile of supplies meant for the expedition.

Crates exploded into splinters. Dried meat, rice bags, and high-grade healing pills rolled all over the ground.

The chaotic noise rattled the entire plaza, attracting dozens of onlookers including Julia. The headmistress glided over, her grand white cloak trailing smoothly behind her, her face as cold as winter ice. "What is the meaning of this commotion?" she demanded, her voice ringing like a heavy brass bell. "Who is destroying academy property before sunrise?"

Seraphine instantly straightened her back, her cruel sneer turning into a pitiful, dramatic pout. "Madam Julia! Thank goodness you’re here!" she cried, making the story twice as juicy as it actually was just to stoke Julia’s temper. "Yuda is throwing a tantrum! She destroyed the supplies and is trying to sabotage our sacred mission out of pure rebellion!"

Julia didn’t even look at the scattered supplies. Her sharp eyes swept over the scene and landed on Little Mai. Looking at the small, shaking girl, Julia’s heart didn’t soften at all. She remembered the truth. Little Mai was just one of the poor orphaned girls that she and Trinity had secretly forced into the resonance pool two years ago.

They had used such young children for cruel experimental purposes, desperately trying to artificially awaken powerful Soul maidens before they came of age and awakened naturally. When the experiments went sideways, Julia and Trinity simply lied, claiming the girls were just natural ’anomalies’ born with ability to awaken themselves early.

Sadly, those children became practically useless to the academy afterward. They turned out weak, frail, and unable to hold much energy.

Julia looked at Little Mai’s pale face, then looked at Yuda, who was still standing tall in front of the guards.

"You," Julia said coldly, pointing a long fingernail at Yuda, and then at Little Mai. "Switch places."

Seraphine sniggered subtly, covering her mouth with her silk sleeve.

Yuda blinked in surprise, then looked down at Little Mai. The terror in the small girl’s eyes melted into uncertainty. Yuda gave Little Mai a gentle, reassuring nod, putting a hand on the girl’s shoulder.

"It’s okay, little one," Yuda whispered softly. "Go back to the dorms and find Claudia."

Little Mai escaped quickly, afraid that Julia would make her go anyway. Turning to face the trail master, Yuda spoke clearly. "I am glad to take the girl’s spot on the expedition team."

"Oh, wonderful!" Seraphine chimed in with a sweet, fake smile. She offered Yuda a cheery little bye-bye wave with her fingertips. "I’m so glad we could work this out like adults! Pack your bags, Yuda, you’re on monster duty!"