Shocking News

"Hmm... can you show me what type of mark it is? Maybe I can help."

Hearing this from Monica wasn't within his expectations. Then again, it was partly her fault that he ended up like this, so it might not be that suprising for her to feel guilty.

However, Aren knew that she wasn't just offering help because of feeling guilty. There was another reason she, lowering herself to an apprentice, was talking to him like an equal. It was because she knew that Cowen was behind him.

She must have noticed that he had strong ties with a rank 4 mage. Otherwise, it didn't make sense for a rank 2 mage to hang out with an apprentice with no family.

Speaking of Cowen, he might be able to help him with this. Still, he didn't reject Monica's request and slowly weakened the restraint placed on the mark by the ring.

As soon as he did that, red light started seeping out from his right hand. The light then started to become dark red as he again started to feel the pain.

"Hurry, stop it! That much is enough." Monica quickly said as an expression of utter shock was present on her face now.

After he again put on the restraint, the light gradually vanished. Actually, he would've also stopped it even if Monica didn't tell him to. If the red light was present for more than 5 seconds, then Aren would be found out by that greater mage no matter where he was. Aren wasn't stupid enough to put himself in risk.

However, after he heard the shocked voice of his former tutor, he became confirmed that she knew something about this that he didn't know. He didn't have to ask her about it though as the next moment she disclosed what it was.

"This- this is the mark of a devil! And not just any devil but a greater devil."

Aren frowned hearing what she said. This sounded worse than he had expected. Especially when he heard the word ''devil''. Nothing good happened if there was a devil involved.

"Miss Monica, can you tell me in detail?" He asked gravely.

"A mark of a devil means that the said devil has targeted you. If not removed in time, then this mark will attract evil creatures around whoever bears it. To remove it, it's bearer would need the help of at least a rank 3 priest of Light. However, since your spirit is still at the level of an apprentice, it might be impossible even with a rank 4 priest. Only a bishop can help you."

Aren was alarmed after hearing what she said. He was glad at first when he heard that a priest could solve it as with Cowen's connections, getting help from a rank 3 or even a rank 4 priest was not a problem. However, now that the matter reached the level of a bishop, there was nothing even he could do.

'So I really have to gamble on my luck then...'

As the ring could somehow restrain this marking, Aren was hoping that there might be some kind of solution in deathlands.

It would have been better if he could also get confirmation by divination. Withal, he didn't dare to divine about something related to a greater mage.

He had actually left the Academy in haste only out of caution. If he'd found an immediate solution which he was hoping to get from either Monica or Cowen, then he could always go back and pretend as if nothing happened.

His decision to go to deathlands was only in worst case scenario, that neither of them could help him, like in this one. He knew that none of the two could do anything to a greater mage, so he was content at just being able to remove this mark. However, it seemed that even this was not possible, which forced him to grasp his last choice.

"You're leaving the academy... do you have a destination?" Monica suddenly asked.

"Yes, the headmaster told me to go to a specific location."

Though he knew that that man would never help him in this case no matter how much blood he gave him, Aren was satisfied at just being able to use his name. After just one meeting, Aren was already sure that Roderick always did things that would profit him, and helping Aren was clearly not profitable.

"I see... in this box here is a grade one runestone then. As for the names of materials, the full method of advancement and other studies, let me give you books for those." Just as Monica stood up and was about to cast mage hand, Aren's voice was heard inside the room.

"That... miss Monica, can you also give me some money. My all savings are gone after getting that holy water."

...

While Aren and Monica were having a talk, an uproar had erupted in the Academy which was quickly spreading to all of Magicwoods district.

Although the Edwards family tried its best prevent it, the shocking news was still leaked to the mages.

Stephen Edwards, the heir of the Major Edwards Family, didn't return from Moonlight District!

This was equivalent to saying that he'd died in this test!

Yes, it was true that Diviners were in disadvantage against other mages in direct combat. However, it didn't make sense for Stephen, who could cast two spells before an ordinary apprentice could cast even one, to die like that. He was also someone who was most likely to be a greater diviner.

At first it was suspected to be Fernando's doing, but as there was no evidence against him, everyone had no voice but to believe that Stephen really was killed by someone from a minor family. This was enough to put a dark mark on the prestigious name of the Edwards family.

Unbeknownst to most of the common mages though, there was another news circulating among dark mages. While it was quite a shock to know that Stephen had died, the news of Chauv's demise was truly a bombshell. Even though this news was only made known to the upper echelons of the dark mage family, and a select few dark mages spread out all over the kingdom, it's impact was a lot greater.

At this moment, all the apprentices who had participated in the test were undergoing a strict check up. Yet, the fact that there was no one that could be pointed out as the killer was troubling.

A rank 2 mage tasked to check on the apprentices met his superior in a secret room and started reporting in a confused manner.

"Sir, there are none among them who could be suspected as the killer. However, two students that participated are missing."

"Oh, who are they?" The rank 4 mage of Edwards family turned around and asked.

"One is Syden Guniver and other is Kim Hoover."

"Who do you think is the real killer, Faus?" The mage again asked.

"I think it's Kim. Syden is a diviner, Young master Stephen couldn't lose to another diviner." The mage called Faus answered confidently.

The mage who asked the question didn't say anything after hearing his answer. After a while, a glint unnoticeable by Faus appeared on eyes of that rank 4 mage as he ordered Faus.

"Send an order to check on all the apprentices. I need a detailed report of them within next 20 hours!"