The first day of break.
Dan tossed down a pile of branches and leaves from the roof for Zeedee to haul away.
He himself turned back to repairing the roof—but he wasn’t alone up there today. Hero Casca sat beside him, helping with the repairs.
“I still can’t believe it got so cold the rubber hardened and cracked.”
“You need to buy better building materials.”
“I didn’t know.”
(The sound of hammering.)
“This is nice.”
“What’s nice, Casca?”
Dan rolled his eyes at her faint smile.
She giggled softly in her throat.
“It’s nice that you agreed.”
“I did it for that book.”
Dan lowered his head and hammered another nail.
“If you hadn’t gotten into trouble with the Pope’s people, I would’ve had you fetch it for me already.”
“Mm-hmm.”
He made a scrunched face at her before she continued.
“You’re a second-year now. So what track are you choosing?”
“Magical Engineering.”
He answered while hammering.
“No competitions. Side character life is good. I’ll have time to do other things.”
“Are you going to stay until graduation?”
“If no one does anything stupid, I probably will.”
“Fury, don’t…”
“I’m not even sure I should trust that kid.”
“You’re being overly suspicious.”
“She knows too much. I’m serious.”
“Rafinya isn’t loose-lipped. That rotten mushroom talks more nonsense than she does.”
Dan gave her a look that said, Yeah… maybe you’re right—but the prejudice in his heart hadn’t faded.
“We’ll see.”
“How are the others?”
Casca asked.
“Scattered everywhere? Any updates?”
“Roma’s under orders to guard Senior Thomasin. No news from Everton. I sent Livramento to Zentinel—won’t hear from him often. As for Valencia… hmm.”
“She’s been residing in Velmount for a while now, Your Highness,” Zeedee called from below.
“By now she probably knows the city layout inside out. Don’t bother with her.”
“…Fine.”
Dan turned back.
“Zeedee would know the most about Valencia.”
“Hmph. Someone like her fits in there perfectly.”
Casca asked, “What is she doing there?”
“I don’t know. I gave both Livramento and Valencia freedom.”
Casca nodded slowly and resumed hammering.
(The rhythmic sound of nails driving into wood.)
“Have you heard about Fiorentina yet?”
“Why?”
“She contacted me a few days ago.”
“Oh? About what?”
“She said she wants to visit us personally.”
“She that free? Doesn’t she have work?”
“She’s coming for work.”
“Don’t tell me it’s like Everton again?”
“Probably.”
Casca answered.
“So I came to ask you first—if I give Fiorentina your address, are you okay with that?”
“She’d get it from Everton anyway.”
Dan muttered in resignation.
“I never get a say. Do whatever you want.”
“Ohhh~ ‘I never get a say,’ huh? So good at sulking.”
Casca reached over and grabbed his soft cheek, pinching it irritably.
“Hey. I’m not a kid.”
“Careful you don’t fall off the roof, little one~”
“You should be more careful, Auntie. You’re older.”
“Want to die?”
“Sorry ma'am…”
Casca stood up slowly after finishing her part and placed her hands on her hips.
“Aren’t you going? It’s almost time.”
“Oh right.”
“I’ll finish the rest.”
She patted his shoulder and shooed him away.
“Go socialize, kid.”
“But I want to stay with you.”
“I know I’m beautiful, but you need to go. You’re a prince. You can’t be late.”
“Very supportive of you.”
“Stop being sarcastic.”
“Maybe I’ll find a new wife there.”
“Try.”
“Sorry. Just kidding.”
“Go already.”
After being chased off by his wife, the prince had no choice but to comply. It didn’t take long for Dan to climb down, bathe, change into his academy uniform, and leave Casca and Zeedee at home.
Artheris District.
It felt like visiting university during break. Though quiet, a few students still lingered for activities.
Most had gone home. But some remained—two types: those whose homes were too far to bother returning, and those whose homes were so close it made no difference.
Coincidentally, the two who remained happened to be the tensest in the academy.
Nora Ophilis.
And Rafinya St. Pauli.
“You’re both right on time.”
Dan approached with his bag slung over one shoulder.
Nora stood composed. Rafinya too—but her stiffness was obvious, and Nora’s restrained tension filled the air.
Dan raised his stopwatch and placed it before Rafinya.
“You arrived last, so I’ll answer your doubts as a special case. You have three minutes. When time’s up, I stop answering. Understood?”
He set the timer.
“Start.”
“How long have you and Nora had this relationship?”
“Early weeks of first term.”
Rafinya’s face showed shock.
“How?”
“Nora stalked me to the cabin and ran into Zeedee’s true form. We clashed a little. I had to reveal mine or we’d all die.”
He glanced at Nora, who looked away whenever this came up.
“Rafinya’s actually similar to you.”
“Why did you join the Knight track at first?”
“Didn’t want to spend money. Wanted to clear my debts quickly.”
“Are you angry about what happened in the Knight Division?”
Nora sensed Rafinya’s tension.
Dan waved dismissively.
“Arguing with kids is useless.”
“Did you kill Iskaryx for Nora?”
“No. Nora killed it.”
“But you tore off its wing.”
“The agreement was that Nora kills.”
Rafinya stared at Nora—like she was trying to expose something.
“That’s her personal matter. I suggest you back off.”
Rafinya obeyed.
“The day the Diablo ship came—how did you switch forms so seamlessly?”
“Smooth, right?”
Dan raised a brow.
“How long will you stay here?”
“Haven’t thought about it.”
“Mr.Fury… as long as no one talks too much, you could stay for a long time.”
Nora said stiffly, looking at Rafinya. Dan sensed her protective energy.
“Besides you and those two—Zeedee and Roma—anyone else?”
“Not here.”
Rafinya: “…”
“Don’t worry. Just know my people can reach you anytime.”
Nora: “That joke isn’t funny, Mr.Fury.”
He glanced at the timer.
“Last question.”
He stopped it and folded his hands.
“Lady Casca said Diablo is trying to build friendly relations with humans…”
If you were born to be the strongest, the most feared—why would you fear if someday there were second, third, fourth Casca-like humans?
“You’re assuming I’m afraid?”
“If not, why pursue diplomacy?”
Her question silenced him briefly.
She had struck the right point.
If Diablo were truly invincible, they wouldn’t care what the world did. They had resources. They didn’t need money.
So what were they afraid of?
Dan kept his hands clasped.
“You know why wars happen?”
Nora and Rafinya stayed silent.
“There’s only one reason.”
He raised a finger.
“Resources.”
No matter the justification—religion, justice—strip away the mask and every war is about resources.
And Diablo had plenty.
“The beginning doesn’t matter. It always converges on resource competition.”
Observe what winners do to losers.
They take resources—minerals, labor, money, intellect, territory.
Why take resources?
“Because humans are never satisfied.”
Why are humans never satisfied?
“Because you have limitless imagination.”
Humans innovate because they imagine, because they’re lazy and seek shortcuts. Innovation requires resources. And whoever creates unmatched innovation—
Rules the world.
“Innovation comes from imagination. You have imagination. We don’t. That’s why we’re afraid.”
Dan said quietly,
“Diablo knows.”
Someday, humans will find a way to defeat Diablo—somehow.
You have too much imagination. Your hunger for resources will one day exceed even my strength.
He looked at Rafinya.
“Did I answer you?”
“But you’re human now.”
“I’ve had a few dreams since coming here… but I still can’t imagine.”
He pocketed the stopwatch.
“And I don’t even know if I ever will. So calling me human now… isn’t quite right.”
Rafinya: “…”
“I agreed with Nora to answer one question per day. If you want me as a mentor, remember that. That’s it.”
“Wait—that’s all?”
“I’m simple.”
“Nora doesn’t have to treat you like a teacher?”
“If she weren’t a princess, I’d have pulled her hair long ago.”
Nora: “…So that’s how you really feel.”
“You think I’m what kind of person?”
He placed his hands on his hips.
“I can’t even get my subordinates to act normal. How would I teach anyone?”
Nora: “That sounds like sulking, Mr.Fury.”
Rafinya froze.
He was nothing like the academy professors. Nothing like the proud knights she’d known.
So this… was his true self?
“Alright. I accept being your mentor. Now it’s your turn. You know what to do.”
Rafinya nodded.
“Good.”
Smack!
She jolted upright as he slapped her back and pressed a hand against it.
“I expect you to bring me Professor Darwin’s book.”
Not pressuring her at all.
This was bad.
After the agreement had achieved its purpose, Rafinya left to prepare to return home and fulfill what had been settled.
Yet he still did not leave, even as the crickets began their chorus.
“There’s still something I have to do today.”
“What is it, Mr.Fury?”
The Department of Paleontology.
Standing before the entrance of the building, Dan in truth possessed a key that granted him direct access to the faculty’s office in his capacity as a sponsor.
“You can head back first, Nora…”
“That’s alright.”
Knock, knock.
Dan took the liberty of opening the door.
And what he and Nora encountered was a baffling sight.
The TAs of the Paleontology Department, including Thomasin, were gathered around something in the middle of their office.
A low murmur of intense discussion filled the room. They were speaking in serious, tense tones—until Thomasin happened to turn and lock eyes with Dan.
“Dan.”
The moment his name slipped out, the other TAs lowered their voices and composed themselves. After all, he was the source of funding that had improved their livelihoods.
“What is it, Senior? What happened?”
“…You came at the perfect time. You’ll want to see this.”
Senior Thomasin led the young man to the center of the office, where a large, clean black steel box stood. It was sizable—and inside lay the fossilized remains of some creature.
“The main center in Mathema just sent this specimen over this evening.”
“From Mathema…?”
Dan set down his bag, dropped what he was holding, and leaned over the steel box, peering inside.
What lay within were incomplete brown bones—but clearly shaped like a four-legged animal.
The fossil resembled the skeleton of a wolf Prince Fury was familiar with. Its body was not large at all—perhaps only one to two meters in length. Its skull was long and narrow, its teeth sharp like those of a carnivore.
“This is an ancestor of wolves, isn’t it, Senior?”
Of course, such a thing stirred nothing in Dan. In DIABLO, remains like this were not difficult to find in someone’s food nest.
Unless—
“It isn’t.”
“Then what is it descended from?”
“A whale.”
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