"Master Albec!"

One of the inspectors stood up abruptly, clearly flustered by the sudden appearance of the Tower Master.

The other inspection heads also stiffened, quickly stepping forward to the desk where Adrian stood, overseeing the inspection of his students' armaments.

Albec wore a deep frown as he approached. "What's the matter here?"

One of the inspectors hesitated, then spoke up, "The armaments he brought seemed... suspicious. That's why we asked to inspect them, but he's refusing to hand them over."

Another chimed in, more forcefully, "And when he tried to keep the armament back, he said he'd just replace it. Highly suspicious, Master Albec."

Albec sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. His voice was weary when he turned to Adrian. "I apologize for the inconvenience, Professor. These staff members were directly appointed by Mr. Clark. They don't know you."

Adrian exhaled sharply. "I have no issue with them doing their job," he said, tone clipped, "but if you're assigning people with such shallow understanding of runes to inspect armaments, then the problem lies in your recruitment."

He didn't bother lowering his voice. And judging by the looks on the two men's faces, they'd definitely heard him.

Albec sighed again. Another mark against the Tower, and another reason for Adrian to think less of them.

Turning to the inspectors, Albec said firmly, "I'll handle the inspection myself. That should be acceptable to you both?"

The two exchanged uneasy glances, visibly uncertain.

Adrian's eyes narrowed. Their hesitation even in front of Albec was... odd. What exactly were they trying to accomplish? Were they told to disqualify him?

One of the inspectors finally spoke. "Master Albec, sir, we were given direct orders—to thoroughly inspect every armament before approval."

"I'll take full responsibility if anything happens," he said before they could respond. "If something goes wrong, blame it on me. Understood?"

Cornered now, the two inspectors had no choice but to nod.

Albec turned back to Adrian and offered an apologetic bow. "I'm sorry for the trouble, Sir Adrian. The tournament requires strict procedures, and sometimes people take it too far."

Adrian waved a hand. "No need to apologize. I'm just... surprised by their level of skill, that's all."

Without further delay, he showed Albec the armaments.

Albec didn't even need a second look. After a brief examination, he nodded. "Everything checks out. You may take them back."

The two inspectors fidgeted, glancing uneasily at each other at how quickly Albec had approved everything.

Once Adrian left, Albec turned to the two with a cold expression.

"What were you thinking?" he asked, his voice low and sharp. "You knew who that man was. And yet?"

The inspector on the left spoke first, his voice small. "W-We were told to bring his armaments in for inspection, sir."

Albec's eyes narrowed. "By who?"

The other paused, then reluctantly answered, "Madame Sarah."

"...!!"

Albec's expression shifted. His eyes widened in shock.

Sarah—daughter of Boridicus Clark. The second-ranked Warden of the Tower.

Why was she suddenly interested in Adrian?

…..

Adrian met up with his students shortly afterward.

He'd already told Ariana to meet him during the break, so for now, his attention was on the five students waiting patiently for him.

"Shall we go?" he asked, watching as they secured their weapons—strapping blades to their waists and larger armaments to their backs.

Without further delay, they set off toward the main venue where the tournament was set to begin.

Unlike the general audience, the participants were given a separate route—one directly connected to the accommodation wing they were staying in.

The hallway was long and eerily silent. Their footsteps echoed softly against the stone tiles.

Altia's heart pounded harder with each step. The weight of the moment was finally sinking in. Her palms were clammy, and her breathing shallow.

'This is really happening…'

The corridor eventually opened into a large inner hall, where the buzz of tension greeted them.

Adrian's eyes scanned the area. Several participants from other academies were already present, scattered around in quiet groups, their eyes sharp and guarded.

But none from Blackthorn Academy. Not yet.

"Please come with me, sir."

A staff member appeared and gave Adrian a small bow before motioning them to follow.

He guided them to their designated preparation room.

The space was spacious and well-equipped—lined with benches for resting, a changing area, racks of training tools, and water dispensers. A sense of quiet anticipation hung in the air.

What caught most of their attention, though, was the large balcony at the far end. It overlooked the arena with a wide, close-range view—offering a perfect glimpse of the battleground they'd soon step onto.

"You'll be called when your match begins," the staff member said with a polite nod before leaving them alone.

As the door clicked shut behind him, the room fell into silence once more.

Now, all that remained was the waiting.

Adrian turned to face his students, arms still folded.

"Nervous?" he asked.

The group exchanged glances before Altia and Brendon gave small, hesitant nods.

Adrian leaned his back against the wall and exhaled slowly.

"Well," he began, "I've never actually participated in a contest like this… so I can't really say I know how you feel right now."

Aries raised a brow. "You didn't even take part in any quizzes or debates back when you were a student, sir?"

Adrian chuckled awkwardly, scratching his cheek.

"I was a pretty introverted kid," he admitted. "I mostly kept to myself and avoided things like that."

Aries tilted her head, clearly puzzled. "But didn't the Headmistress say you used to be a bully before joining the academy? What changed, sir?"

Even Elana leaned in slightly, her curiosity piqued.

Adrian sighed.

That part of his past wasn't something he often revisited. Everyone thought it was Melissa who'd reshaped his life. Even Ariana believed that. But that wasn't the truth.

No, he thought bitterly. Before Melissa, there was someone else.

Someone who turned his early school years into a nightmare.

Back then, he wasn't the friendly professor they saw now. He wasn't even the rough, rebellious kid the Headmistress spoke of. He had been a target.

There had been a person—a classmate—who made it their mission to break him. Day after day, humiliation after humiliation, until Adrian became nothing more than a bag carrier. A shadow that trailed behind others.

Slowly, the real Adrian—the loud, confident boy—was buried.

What remained was someone quiet. Someone who avoided attention. Someone who learned to keep his head down.

Someone who wanted nothing more than to disappear into the background.

His trance broke when suddenly he heard the voice of the announcer.

Turning towards the students, he said, "Alright now, it's time."

°°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading.