"You're insane, man," Edric said after hearing everything that had happened over the past few days.
They were on their way back to the academy, where Alex was supposed to receive further treatment—or at least, that's what he led others to believe.
Inside the carriage, the three ladies sat beside Alex, while Amanda leaned against her lover.
"And you're no less crazy, Cela. Slapping the Curse? That's beyond insane."
At Amanda's words, Celestria flinched, her face turning red. "Sh-Shut up… I just let my anger get the better of me in that situation. And who knows, maybe the Curse decided to help us because I slapped him."
[I was on the verge of killing you because of those slaps.]
The Curse's voice rang in Alex's head, making him chuckle. "See? He agrees with you, Cela. You helped him realize his mistake. So if he ever shows up again, don't hesitate to slap him."
[Oi!]
Celestria huffed. "You don't have to worry about that," she said, then let out a smug fufufu.
Sarah sighed before changing the topic. "You mentioned something about the labyrinth earlier?" Her focus remained on his soul's age and how he planned to handle everything.
Alex nodded, summoning the system and checking his quest:
[Quest: Kill—]
→ 100 Lesser-class Monsters
→ 100 Greater-class Monsters
→ 50 Elite-class Monsters
→ 25 Catastrophe-class Monsters
→ 10 Disaster-class Monsters
[Time limit: 26 days, 14 hours]
"I have a lot to do and very little time left. That's why I need to actively search for monsters instead of resting," he said, his voice heavy with urgency.
No one in the carriage was unaware of his circumstances, so they immediately grasped the severity of the situation.
Celestria frowned, concern evident in her expression. Alex had yet to fully recover, but stopping him now would only put him in greater danger.
That's why she said firmly, "I'll come with you to ensure your safety."
Alex didn't argue—he knew there was no convincing Celestria otherwise.
"But Alex, the bigger issue is… how will you even find that many monsters in such a short time?" Edric pointed out, frowning at the quest details.
The real problem wasn't just the numbers—Alex had to defeat every monster himself. If they could split into teams and hunt separately, it would be manageable. But that wasn't an option.
And worst of all, Disaster-class monsters were ancient beings, hidden away from the world. Finding even one would be difficult, let alone ten.
A heavy silence filled the carriage as everyone wracked their brains for a way to help Alex.
Then, suddenly, a voice echoed in his head, offering a glimmer of hope.
[I can summon Soulless.]
Alex jolted upright, his abrupt movement drawing everyone's attention.
Rebecca frowned. "What happened? Did the Curse say something?"
Still caught in thought, Alex nodded absentmindedly. "He said… he can summon Soulless."
"…!"
"…Huh?"
A few gasped, while the rest stared at him, eyes wide with shock.
Alex didn't waste time and asked aloud, "Can you really summon Soulless without the Divine Beings noticing?"
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If he remembered correctly, lost and defeated monsters from the Upper Realm were cast into this world for mortals to deal with.
During the war, there had been an overflow of monsters, forcing the deities to frequently send beasts down to the lower realm. But now, with the Upper Realm basking in peace, Soulless sightings had become rare.
[I have my ways. And forget about the Gods—they already know I'm here with you. They won't do anything about it, aside from sending some goons to try and kill you.]
Alex's shoulders slumped slightly at that last remark, and Sarah instantly caught on. "What did he say? Is there really a way?"
Alex nodded. "Yeah, he can do it. And the deities won't interfere."
A strange silence settled over the carriage.
They had finally found a solution to Alex's problem, yet the weight of it lingered.
Not long ago, summoning a Soulless was one of the ugliest crimes. But now, it was the answer to their predicament—one they were willing to embrace without hesitation.
Even so, Alex needed to be sure.
He looked at Amanda and Edric. "Think carefully before you answer. I already know Cela, Rebecca, and Sarah will follow me no matter what, even if I tell them not to. But you two—especially you, Amanda—don't need to be part of this. Summoning Soulless is still considered a grave taboo. I won't force you into this. Take your time and decide."
Amanda glanced at Edric and without even bothering to talk it out, the girl muttered, "The biggest taboo in my eyes is to not help a friend when they are in need."
Edric added, "And you have risked your life various times for us, can't we just sacrifice social norms and laws to help you out this time?"
Alex chuckled, his head leaning down, "You didn't even think about it...well, suit yourself. I surely would need everyone's help this time."
°°°°°°°
The moment Alex returned to the academy, he was summoned by the headmaster.
Naturally, he had to respond—no doubt, the principal was restless about his situation.
Meanwhile, Sarah and Rebecca were brought into the academy in secret, for obvious reasons. For now, they were sent to stay in Celestria and Amanda's rooms until Alex could figure out a more permanent solution.
There were a lot of things he needed to plan, but for now—
Knock!
"Come in."
The response came instantly from the other side. Alex pushed open the door, stepping in—only to find not just the headmaster, but two familiar figures waiting inside.
His expression shifted into a surprised smile.
"Professor Jullie."
The violet-haired woman, whom he had met only ten days ago—though it felt like ages—advanced toward him with a bright smile.
The old Jullie might have gone for a handshake. But the new Jullie?
She went straight for a hug.
Oof. A strong one at that.
Alex was pulled into her familiar warmth, feeling her cold skin press against him. His arms instinctively wrapped around her curves, holding her in return.
…He might have taken some advantage of the moment, judging by the way Natasha was glaring at him.
"I was really worried," Jullie said, her voice carrying weight. "How are you now?"
Alex pulled away and replied, "I'm doing fine. What about you? Looks like you've got a handle on your urges."
Jullie smiled shyly, almost like a young girl.
"Thanks to Natasha and Angelina's help, I managed to overcome the biggest hurdle. But… I still need to stay in the Blood Realm for another month."
Alex hummed, "It's still surprising how smoothly you're adjusting to your new life."
Jullie offered him a grateful smile before Alex turned his attention to the headmaster.
"I apologize for worrying you, sir. As you can see, I'm fine now."
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Hector let out a deep sigh. "It really was a troubling situation back then. But what followed—your fall and the Curse's rise—was far more shocking."
He barely stopped himself from calling the Curse a thing, knowing it still resided within Alex—and that the Vampire Princess was closely tied to it.
Alex smiled. "I heard." Then, glancing at Natasha, he asked, "What about His Majesty? Did he return home safely?"
Natasha gave a silent nod.
Hector followed up, "Alex, you're going to stay in the academy for a few days, right?"
He had planned to discuss the academy's security with Alex and maybe even have him help in selecting potential candidates.
However—
"I need to leave immediately, sir," Alex said. "There's no time left, and I have a lot of training to do before I'm worthy of participating. From the human realm, there aren't many who can qualify, given the level of competition. I have to push myself hard enough to become an option they can't ignore."
Hector studied him in silence.
He still remembered the old Alex—the boy who used to sneak into corners, burying himself in books.
The same boy who would often ask him for recommendations, eager to read more.
That meek child, who once shied away from battle, was now standing here—ready to take on the responsibility of saving the world.
People change… but Alex has gone through evolutions.
The old man's lips curled into a faint smile before he met Alex's gaze and said,
"Do whatever you deem right. And if you ever need my help, don't hesitate to ask."
Alex smiled warmly, "I won't."
Saying so, Alex left the office followed by Natasha and Jullie.
They were returning to the Blood Domain right away because of Jullie's situation.
Once they stepped out, Alex turned towards Natasha before asking,
"In the Blood Domain, is there any place where I can summon hundreds of Soulless?"
Jullie gasped, "Alex?!"
The boy chose to ignore the lady for now, as he kept looking at the vampire.
Natasha narrowed her eyes, before asking, "You are going to use my Father, no?"
Alex shrugged, "He offered himself to be used."
Natasha huffed, "Since it's his decision, I will help. Come with me."
°°°°°°°°°°
A/N:- Thanks for reading.