The Terrifying Family

On a picturesque hillside within the confines of the Sacred Heart Academy, a winding stream meandered down from afar, cascading over the slope. White birds, tracing the skyline, occasionally alighted on the pines and cypresses dotting the hillside, before fluttering away with a gentle beat of their wings.

Beneath the heavenly light, a gentle breeze danced, accompanied by the seemingly eternal presence of fluffy white clouds.

Nestled amidst this idyllic mountain and water landscape stood a modest wooden cabin.

Within the cabin, its owner, a remarkably youthful and handsome young man, sat upon a chair, quietly engrossed in a book.

Beside this handsome youth sat a stern-looking middle-aged man.

"Slav, after all these years, you're still as fixated on appearances," the middle-aged man remarked.

Hearing this, Slav closed his book, pushed back his chair, and fixed his gaze upon the middle-aged man. "Lugansk Zoia, after all these years, you still enjoy barging into others' rooms without a word of warning and... lurking in the academy for two years without a peep."

At Slav's words, Lugansk Zoia chuckled, saying nothing more.

If anyone familiar with these two individuals were present, they would undoubtedly be shocked. The dashing young man named Slav was none other than the elusive headmaster of the academy! An esteemed powerhouse!

Everyone had heard the legends surrounding Slav, yet few had actually laid eyes upon him. Apart from the deputy headmaster and some elite students within the inner court, no one within the academy knew the true identity of the headmaster.

As for the middle-aged man, Lugansk Zoia, though not as renowned as Slav, he was far from obscure. One who could converse on equal terms with an esteemed-level expert, what more evidence of his prowess was needed? Moreover, judging by their conversation, it was evident they had been acquainted for quite some time.

"Well, I've taken care of your problem. That little troublemaker, Orv, has removed the miscreants lurking in the shadows. Punishment will likely be lenient," Slav casually mentioned, referring to the revered deputy headmaster Orv as a mere troublemaker, a truly staggering revelation.

Lugansk Zoia nodded. "That's for the best. As you know, my infiltration into the academy was to safeguard Niya and prevent any untoward incidents, as per the instructions from the clan head."

What a terrifying clan it must be to issue protection orders to Lugansk Zoia, where even esteemed-level experts were casually dispatched as bodyguards. What's more surprising was Niya's true identity, compelling an esteemed-level expert to protect her clandestinely.

"No one would have expected the former Gale Swordsman, Lugansk Zoia, to willingly work for others," Slav expressed his astonishment. "I've followed your arrangements and discreetly placed Niya into the academy, resolving numerous issues for her. Now, can you enlighten me on Niya's true identity? This has puzzled me for quite some time."

Indeed, Niya's achievements and abilities were insufficient for admission to the Sacred Heart Academy. Niya's enrollment was actually orchestrated by Slav himself, and she had faced numerous security risks over the past two years.

Slav had assigned individuals to handle excessive bullying, most of which posed no life-threatening danger. For instance, this time, deputy headmaster Orv had removed the deceitful referee causing trouble.

"Do I even need to say it? With your intelligence, isn't it obvious?" Lugansk Zoia didn't answer Slav's question directly but instead posed one himself.

He believed Slav understood why the vast family had sent him to protect Niya covertly.

"Mm-hmm." Slav closed his eyes, pondering for a moment. "Upon observation, Niya possesses exceptional innate qualities. She excels in magic gathering, magic practice, and magic research far beyond ordinary individuals. Yet, she struggles to cultivate magical power. If I'm not mistaken, she's been cursed."

Lugansk Zoia remained silent, tacitly acknowledging Slav's analysis.

"Furthermore, according to hearsay, the family you serve behind the scenes, each clan head has a twin sibling. However, only one of them possesses the ability to cultivate. The other lacks talent in cultivation. It's not a lack of talent but rather a forced sealing, or rather, a transfer of talent."

Lugansk Zoia nodded. "Sometimes, hearsay is far more accurate than official reports. Besides, this isn't information that needs to be concealed. Indeed, Niya has a twin sister with even greater talents."

"So, you sealed Niya's talent and covertly transferred it to her twin sister. As a result, it's essentially a doubling of abilities, and her cultivation speed is terrifyingly accelerated, creating an artificial super genius. However, such talent comes with a drawback: if Niya were to perish, this doubled talent would weaken."

"You already know the reason, so why ask me?"

"Sigh, the pressure is immense. Such a formidable family actually entrusted such an important task to my academy. Aren't they deliberately making me restless every night?" Despite his words, Slav showed no signs of apprehension.

"I'll handle the protection. You just need to occasionally make some covert moves," Lugansk Zoia assured.

Slav offered no response to Lugansk Zoia's words.

"Oh, there's one more thing. I've noticed that the undead warrior beside Niya doesn't seem ordinary. Could that also be your arrangement?" Slav had attempted to investigate the identity of the undead warrior but had failed. Even his psychic probing had been futile; the figure appeared as an amOrvous shadow, devoid of soul.

Yet, this shadow instilled a sense of immense threat in Slav; within it seemed to reside the power to annihilate entire planes!

"Well..." Lugansk Zoia hesitated. "Due to some unexpected circumstances at the time, members of an opposing family sought to harm Niya to disrupt the heir's talent inheritance. So, a few of us confronted them. We only cast a protective spell on Niya that would trigger in a life-threatening situation. However, who would have thought that upon our return, Niya would form a contract with an undead warrior, one that binds their fates together equally."Lugansk Zoia's recounting of the events carried a hint of resignation.

"Seeing an old friend in such a predicament, let me lend you a hand. I'll bring that little lass to the inner court, so you can rest assured," Slav offered. "Oh, and I recall you have some rather rare ancient books. We're good friends, sharing everything, right? What's yours is mine, and naturally, what's mine isn't yours!"

"......"