Chapter 45: The Written Test

The Headmaster’s courier had barely turned the corner of the upper corridor before Seraphina moved.

She didn’t reach for her schedule or ask what the summons said.

She walked straight to the small wooden desk beside the hearth.

She unlocked the iron-bound parchment box and pulled out three thick sheets of legal records she had drawn up two nights ago.

"Under Crown law in Aldemoor, possessing an Abyssal core is rare, extinct, and feared, but having the core is not a crime by itself," Seraphina said, her voice dropping into that smooth, regal tone that made every word sound like an official decree.

"Crown law states that a cadet can only be detained if they commit an active, proven crime or cause verified physical destruction.

Furthermore, Section 12 of the Crownland Academy Intake Charter states that any complaint regarding mana field interference must be accompanied by an immediate mana-counter trace signed by a certified instructor within one hour of the alleged incident.

If no trace was taken, the filing is void on arrival."

Isolde picked up her riding boots from the floor, her pale violet eyes gleaming with dark amusement as she pulled them on.

"Cedric filed it without an instructor’s signature because no instructor was in the lower yard when he spilled his tea."

My inner monologue dryly broke down the situation.

’Classic villain move.

House Vale used its royal access to pull our public Class A intake file, so Cedric knew about my Abyssal core from day one.

A smart noble would have hidden that information to use against us later.

But something made Cedric rush, like a push from the story forcing him to move too fast.

He thought giving us a blue envelope from the Discipline Committee would scare us into running to the Headmaster’s office to ask for help.

He doesn’t know Seraphina has the whole Crown law memorized, and Isolde knows every hidden spot in this building.’

Outwardly, I adjusted my collar badge - the simple Iron crest that marked disinherited cadets, while high nobles like Cedric wore Silver Knight badges to flaunt their rank - and gave both wives a cold, sharp nod.

"Let’s go show the Discipline Committee how much paper Cedric wasted," I said.

Twenty minutes later, we stepped out of the central office of the Discipline Committee.

The silver-badged officer at the desk hadn’t even finished reading the second page of Seraphina’s counter-filing before his face went pale.

He stamped the complaint Dismissed for Insufficient Record.

He struck Cedric Vale’s name on the demerit log.

He docked Cedric’s house account five Silver Shards for administrative waste.

Cedric stood in the hallway expecting to watch us get reprimanded.

His face turned bloodless.

As we walked past him, Isolde didn’t even slow her pace.

She glanced at his Silver collar badge and let out a short, quiet scoff that cut sharper than a blade.

Seraphina didn’t look at him at all.

She walked with her head held high, her spine straight, her gait steady and graceful.

Only I paused for half a second.

My face was a wall of cold, emotionless stone as I met Cedric’s furious stare.

"Check your house ledger, Vale," I said quietly, my voice flat and unyielding. "You owe the committee five silver."

Without waiting for his response, I turned and walked after my wives.

When we returned to our private wing in the upper annex, the thick dark wood door shut behind us with a solid, echoing click.

The moment the lock turned, the cold, rigid public masks dropped instantly.

I let out a long breath.

I unbuckled my focus belt and tossed it onto the wooden table.

Isolde leaned her back against the closed door, her shoulders finally relaxing as a soft, dark smirk touched her lips.

"Five silver," Isolde murmured, her voice warm and playful now that we were alone. "He’s going to spend the entire afternoon lecture glaring at the back of your head, Cassian."

"Let him glare," I smiled, stepping across the room and wrapping my arm around her waist. "Glares don’t buy tea."

Isolde laughed softly.

Her hands slid up my chest to rest against my neck.

She leaned up, pressing a quick, firm kiss against my lips.

Her touch was possessive, warm, and grounded - a silent reminder that no matter what pressure Class A tried to build outside, this room belonged entirely to us.

Across the sitting room, Seraphina walked toward the hearth.

But as she took her third step, her right foot caught slightly against the rug.

It wasn’t a fall.

It was barely a stumble.

Her breath hitched in her throat, her hand snapping out to catch the edge of the mantlepiece.

I was across the room before her fingers even gripped the stone.

My arm went under her knees and around her waist, catching her weight before she could strain her leg.

Seraphina let out a small, quiet gasp, her golden eyes widening as she looked up into my face.

"Cassian..." she started, her voice formal out of habit.

"Your leg," I interrupted softly, my cold outer voice completely gone, replaced by the quiet, protective warmth I only ever showed her. "How long has it been pulling?"

Seraphina stayed still in my arms, her fingers tightening against my shoulder.

For a second, her regal pride tried to push the truth down.

Looking into my eyes, she let out a soft, defeated sigh, resting her forehead lightly against my collarbone.

"Since yesterday evening," she admitted softly, her breath warm against my neck. "It isn’t an injury. It’s... a deep, dull ache. Like the Phoenix core inside my chest is being weighed down by lead."

My inner voice hardened instantly.

’The World’s Will. It isn’t trying to break her leg physically. It’s pressing against her core, trying to re-establish the original storyline where she stays paralyzed and helpless.’

Isolde walked over with quiet, deliberate steps.

She didn’t offer pity. Neither of my wives wanted pity.

She reached out and placed her hand flat against Seraphina’s lower back, her gaze sharp and dark with possessive anger.

"The Will is probing," Isolde said flatly. "It’s testing if the restoration holds."

"Then we reinforce it," I said firmly, carrying Seraphina straight toward the inner bedroom. "Right now."

I set Seraphina down softly on the edge of the large bed.

She didn’t pull away or try to smooth her skirts.

She looked up at me, her gaze dark with a mixture of quiet fear and intense, possessive devotion.

Isolde closed the bedroom door, sliding the brass bolt into place before turning to join us.

She unclipped her dark outer vest, letting it drop to the floor, and sat on the mattress right beside Seraphina.

"We don’t let it take a single inch back," Isolde murmured, her hand sliding over Seraphina’s hand, their fingers lacing together.

Seraphina looked at Isolde, then up at me. "Cassian... touch me."

I didn’t hesitate.

I knelt on the edge of the bed.

My hands moved to the hem of Seraphina’s formal dress, easing the fabric up past her knees.

My palms pressed flat against the warm skin of her thighs, right over the hidden pathways where her Phoenix Light mana circulated.

The moment my skin met hers, a sharp, cold pulse flared deep within her core - the subtle, unseen push of the World’s Will trying to degrade her healing.

I channeled my Abyssal mana straight into her skin.

Not to attack, but to wrap around her Phoenix Light, shielding her circulation from the external pressure.

Seraphina’s head fell back against the pillows, a soft, helpless moan breaking from her lips as the deep ache in her leg began to melt away under my touch.

Her hands reached for me, her fingers tangling into my hair, pulling my face down to hers.

Our lips met in a deep, fierce kiss.

The formality of the fallen princess melted completely, replaced by raw, hungry intimacy.

She kissed me with the possessive intensity of a woman who refused to let the world break her again, her hips lifting instinctively against mine.

Isolde moved behind her, her arms wrapping around Seraphina’s waist, her lips tracing a soft line down Seraphina’s neck.

Seraphina let out a trembling sigh, looking at Isolde, then at me.

"Together," Seraphina whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

I shifted up, pulling Seraphina’s dress away completely.

My hands moved over her smooth, warm waist, tracing down the curve of her hips to the sensitive skin between her thighs.

When I entered her, Seraphina gasped aloud, her chest arching, her fingers digging tightly into my shoulders as her body welcomed me fully.

The intimacy wasn’t quiet, and it wasn’t gentle.

It was a fierce, possessive anchor against a world that wanted us destroyed.

Every push of my hips, every deep, rolling stroke of mana between our cores, shattered the World’s Will’s grip on her leg.

Isolde leaned over Seraphina, her lips meeting Seraphina’s in a soft, sensual kiss while my hands guided them both.

Isolde’s gaze flared with dark shadow mana, her own core resonating with ours.

For a second, Isolde’s vision flickered at the edges - the Will trying to probe her eyes as well.

As I reached across, pulling Isolde down into the kiss alongside Seraphina, my Abyssal mana flooded through all three of us at once.

The dark blur vanished instantly.

The dull ache in Seraphina’s legs dissolved completely into pure, radiant warmth.

Seraphina cried out my name as her core overflowed, her inner Phoenix Light bursting through her veins in a wave of golden heat.

Her body convulsed around mine in a powerful, trembling climax, her legs wrapping tightly around my waist, holding me deep inside her.

Isolde shuddered right beside us, her own climax breaking over her as the shared mana pulse flooded her senses.

She collapsed against Seraphina’s chest, her breathing heavy, her skin flushed and glistening with sweat.

I held them both tight against me, my own core releasing its heavy, dark warmth deep inside Seraphina, locking our three bloodlines into a single, unbreakable resonance.

For long minutes, the room was silent except for the heavy, synchronized sound of our breathing.

Seraphina lay back against the pillows, her eyes clear, bright, and completely free of pain.

She tested her leg, flexing her foot and stretching her knee.

There was no ache. No leaden weight.

Her Phoenix Light was circulating stronger than ever.

Isolde lay tucked against my chest, her gaze sharp and clear, the peripheral blur completely gone.

"It’s gone," Seraphina whispered, her voice soft, full of quiet wonder and deep love as she rested her hand over mine. "The ache... it’s completely gone."

"I told you," I murmured, kissing her forehead before pulling Isolde closer and kissing her lips. "We don’t let it take anything back."

The next morning, the second-week Written Theory Examination began.

The exam took place in the grand hall of the Library Wing - a massive, high-ceilinged room lined with towering oak bookshelves and illuminated by hovering mana lanterns.

All fifty first-year cadets sat at individual wooden desks spaced three paces apart.

At the front of the hall stood Professor Aldyn, a strict, white-haired scholar holding a sealed stack of examination papers.

"You have two hours," Aldyn announced sternly, his voice echoing off the stone walls. "This exam tests core circulation math, spell-structure stability, and counter-element theory. Your scores will be posted publicly on the main courtyard board tomorrow morning. Begin."

I picked up my iron pen, dipped it into the black inkwell, and scanned the first page.

My inner monologue immediately began analyzing the questions.

’Question one: Core wall resonance under continuous third-tier load.

Standard textbook question from the original novel.

Question seven: Counter-element circulation against Abyssal mana.

A trick question - the textbook formula assumes Abyssal mana works like dark elemental mana, but it doesn’t.

It operates on inverted spatial pressure.’

I wrote steadily, my pen moving across the parchment with smooth, effortless speed.

I didn’t need to pause or guess.

Between my memories of the original novel and my own practical experience handling Abyssal mana, the answers were obvious.

I finished the entire five-page exam in forty minutes.

I stood up, picked up my parchment, and walked to the front desk.

The entire hall went dead silent as I set my finished paper on Professor Aldyn’s table.

Cedric Vale, sitting two rows over, stared at me with wide, disbelieving eyes.

His pen hovered over his half-finished second page, his jaw tight with suppressed rage.

Aldyn looked up at me, his gray eyebrows raising slightly. "Done, Cadet Voss?"

"Done, Professor," I replied coldly, adjusting my Iron collar badge before turning and walking out of the hall.

The next morning at eight bell, the official examination scores were posted on the massive stone board in the central courtyard.

A crowd of nearly a hundred students gathered around the board, whispering and shoving to see the rankings.

Seraphina, Isolde, and I walked into the courtyard together.

Cedric Vale was already standing near the front of the crowd, surrounded by his noble cronies.

He was smiling smugly, waiting to see his name at the top of Class A.

Then the crowd went silent.

I looked up at the top of the parchment sheet.

FIRST PLACE (TIED) - CASSIAN VOSS (CLASS A) - 100/100

FIRST PLACE (TIED) - SOREN KAEL (CLASS B) - 100/100

SECOND PLACE - SERAPHINA ALDRIC (CLASS A) - 98/100

THIRD PLACE - LADY MIRENE KAEL (CLASS A) - 95/100

FOURTH PLACE - CEDRIC VALE (CLASS A) - 91/100

SEVENTH PLACE - ISOLDE DRAVEN (CLASS A) - 88/100

Cedric’s face went completely bloodless.

He stared at his name in fourth place - a position he had never dropped to in his entire life - and then at my name sitting at the very top with a perfect score.

"Impossible..." Cedric stammered aloud, his voice shaking. "He wears an Iron badge! He didn’t even use a tutor!"

Across the crowd, a tall girl with short brown hair and a plain military uniform - Soren Kael, the commoner girl who shared first place - looked over at me.

She gave me a single, respectful nod before turning and walking back toward the training grounds.

Beside me, Isolde stared at the board, her pale violet eyes narrowing slightly.

"Question fourteen," Isolde murmured under her breath. "They docked me four points on question fourteen regarding shadow spell vector math."

Seraphina pulled a small leather notebook from her pocket.

"Question fourteen used the 4th Royal Edition formula. The Crown updated that standard two months ago under Ordinance 88."

Seraphina walked straight past the whispering nobles, stepped up to Professor Aldyn’s administrative desk at the edge of the courtyard, and set her notebook down.

"Professor," Seraphina said in her crisp, regal voice. "Cadet Draven’s answer on Question Fourteen follows Crown Ordinance 88. The scoring key applied the outdated 4th Royal Edition standard."

Aldyn blinked, pulled out his master key, and checked the legal citation.

Within two minutes, his face flushed with embarrassment.

He dipped his red pen into the inkwell, crossed out Isolde’s 88, and wrote a bold 96/100 beside her name.

REVISED RANKING - THIRD PLACE: ISOLDE DRAVEN (96/100)

Cedric Vale dropped to fifth place.

Isolde walked past me as we left the courtyard.

She didn’t say a word out loud to the watching crowd, but as she passed my side, her shoulder bumped lightly against mine in a quiet, proud gesture of shared victory.

Suddenly, a cold, sharp chime echoed inside my mind.

A translucent blue window materialized directly in front of my vision, visible only to me:

[SYSTEM WARNING: PLOT DEVIATION AT 52%]

[WORLD’S WILL SCRIPT CORRECTION EVENT TRIGGERED]

[TARGET: CLASS A PHYSICAL RANKING DRILLS - 72 HOURS REMAINING]

My eyes narrowed as I read the blue text.

The World’s Will had lost the legal complaint, lost the written exam, and failed to degrade my wives’ cores.

Now, it was preparing a direct, physical correction event in the combat arenas.

I looked sideways at Seraphina and Isolde, a cold, ruthless smile touching my lips.

Let it try.