The Useless Extra Knows It All....But Does He?

Chapter 464: Chapter 463 - The Mystery Deepened!

The classroom had become unusually quiet.

Only a few minutes earlier it had been filled with students gathering their belongings, chairs scraping across the floor, and conversations drifting from every corner of the room. Now all of that had disappeared.

The afternoon sunlight filtered gently through the large classroom windows, painting the wooden desks in warm golden light while a faint breeze stirred the curtains near the walls.

The silence felt peaceful.

Yet beneath that peace lingered something else.

Something unspoken.

Luca stood near the last row while Seraphina remained at the front of the classroom, her hands resting lightly against the lectern as she looked toward him.

Neither spoke immediately.

For a few moments, the only sound came from the wind outside.

Then Seraphina sighed.

A long sigh.

The kind of sigh that seemed to carry far more emotions than words ever could.

Luca immediately recognized that look.

And somehow—

That made him more nervous than facing ancient horrors.

"You really cannot stay away from trouble, can you?" Seraphina finally asked.

Her voice remained calm.

Yet Luca could hear the frustration hidden beneath it.

The concern as well.

Luca scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"In my defense—"

"You do not have a defense."

The immediate interruption made him stop speaking.

Seraphina crossed her arms.

The movement wasn’t particularly intimidating.

At least not until combined with the look she was giving him.

"Every time I think things might remain peaceful for a while, you somehow find a way to prove me wrong."

Luca opened his mouth.

Then closed it again.

Because unfortunately—

She wasn’t entirely wrong.

Seraphina took another breath.

"Just a few students on a historical expedition."

Her blue eyes narrowed slightly.

"You somehow returned after nearly awakening an ancient calamity."

"Technically I didn’t awaken it."

"You were present."

"That seems unrelated."

"It is not unrelated."

Luca laughed despite himself.

Unfortunately, Seraphina did not seem particularly amused.

The frustration in her expression remained.

Though beneath it—

Something softer lingered.

Something much harder to ignore.

Seraphina looked away briefly before continuing.

"Do you even understand how dangerous that situation was?"

The humor gradually disappeared from Luca’s face.

Her voice had changed.

The frustration remained.

But now concern stood at the forefront.

Raw.

Honest.

Impossible to miss.

"The reports reached the academy before I arrived," she continued quietly. "The corruption levels. The damaged seals. The pressure coming from the sanctuary."

Her fingers tightened slightly around her sleeve.

"If the Vice Dean had arrived even a little later..."

The sentence remained unfinished.

Yet it didn’t need to be.

Both of them understood.

Luca remained silent.

For once, he didn’t try making a joke.

Didn’t try changing the subject.

Didn’t try brushing it aside.

Because he knew she was right.

The situation had been dangerous.

Far more dangerous than anything he had anticipated.

Seraphina looked toward the window briefly.

When she spoke again, her voice had softened considerably.

"You are always throwing yourself into danger."

The words carried neither anger nor accusation.

Only worry.

The simple, honest worry of someone who had spent the previous day imagining every possible disaster that could have happened.

Luca felt something warm stir inside his chest.

Slowly, he walked closer.

Not enough to invade her space.

Just enough that the distance between them felt less formal.

Less like teacher and student.

More like two people speaking honestly.

"I know."

Seraphina looked at him.

"And yet you keep doing it."

Luca smiled faintly.

Not a playful smile.

Not a teasing one.

A genuine one.

"The truth is..."

He paused briefly.

Searching for the right words.

"The people around me matter too much."

The afternoon sunlight reflected softly within his eyes.

"If someone is in danger, I can’t just stand there and do nothing."

His voice remained quiet.

Steady.

"I know it sounds reckless."

"It is reckless."

"It is."

A reluctant smile appeared on Seraphina’s face despite herself.

Luca continued.

"When Sylthara was hurt, when the others were in danger, when everyone was trying their best..."

His gaze lowered briefly.

"Leaving wasn’t really an option."

The classroom fell silent once more.

Seraphina stared at him for several long moments.

And slowly—

The frustration in her expression began fading.

Not disappearing entirely.

But weakening.

Because the person standing before her was exactly who she had come to know.

Stubborn.

Ridiculously reckless.

Far too willing to shoulder burdens.

And frustratingly sincere.

The kind of person who would risk himself for others without even realizing how much that worried the people around him.

A faint smile tugged at her lips.

Small.

Almost invisible.

"You really are impossible."

Luca brightened immediately.

"I will take that as a compliment."

"It was not intended as one."

"It still counts."

The smile threatening to form on Seraphina’s face grew slightly stronger.

Only slightly.

Then she shook her head helplessly.

For a few moments, neither spoke.

The atmosphere felt different now.

Softer.

Warmer.

The distance between them no longer felt quite as large as before.

Seraphina looked toward him quietly.

The sunlight illuminated strands of her sky-blue hair while her blue eyes reflected a mixture of emotions she still struggled to fully accept herself.

Concern.

Relief.

Affection.

All intertwined together.

Eventually she reached forward.

Not dramatically.

Not romantically.

Simply—

Gently.

Her fingers adjusted the slightly crooked collar of his academy uniform.

The gesture lasted only a few seconds.

Yet it felt strangely intimate.

Both of them noticed it immediately.

Luca froze.

Seraphina froze.

Neither spoke.

For a brief moment, the classroom felt far too quiet.

Then Seraphina quickly withdrew her hand.

A faint blush appeared across her cheeks.

"Your uniform was crooked."

The explanation arrived much too quickly.

Luca immediately smiled.

"Of course."

"It was."

"I believe you."

"You sound unconvinced."

"I am completely convinced."

The teasing glint in his eyes made her look away.

Which only made the situation worse.

Luca’s smile softened.

And when he spoke next, his voice carried a warmth that made Seraphina’s heart skip slightly.

"Thank you."

This time—

There was no teasing.

No joke.

No hidden meaning.

Just sincerity.

"For worrying about me."

Seraphina paused.

Then slowly looked back toward him.

The sunlight illuminated the classroom around them while the academy continued its ordinary day beyond the windows.

For a moment—

Neither teacher nor student spoke.

And somehow—

That silence felt comfortable.

Comfortable enough that neither of them wanted to break it.

The atmosphere within the academy corridors felt light and peaceful as Luca stepped out of the classroom.

Warm afternoon sunlight poured through the tall windows lining the hallway, casting long golden patterns across the polished stone floor. Students moved through the corridors in small groups, discussing lectures, assignments, training schedules, and the countless ordinary concerns that filled academy life.

For once—

Luca found himself in an unusually good mood.

A faint smile lingered on his face as he walked through the hallway with his hands tucked casually into his pockets.

The conversation with Seraphina continued replaying within his thoughts.

The concern she had tried so hard to hide.

The way her frustration had gradually melted away.

The brief moment when she had adjusted his collar before immediately trying to pretend it meant nothing.

A chuckle escaped him.

The memory alone was enough to brighten his mood considerably.

Unfortunately—

The universe apparently disliked allowing him peaceful moments for too long.

"Well, someone looks suspiciously happy."

The familiar voice immediately pulled Luca from his thoughts.

He looked up.

And found himself facing two people he knew all too well.

Aiden stood there with his usual calm expression while Kyle wore a grin that practically screamed trouble.

The moment Luca saw that grin—

His instincts immediately warned him to run.

Unfortunately, it was already too late.

Kyle stepped beside him and threw an arm around his shoulders.

"Now then," Kyle began dramatically, "would you care to explain why you just walked out of Professor Seraphina’s classroom looking like someone who won the lottery?"

Luca immediately sighed.

Aiden laughed softly.

The reaction alone seemed to answer their question.

Luca glanced between the two of them before shaking his head.

"You found out, huh?"

Kyle looked offended.

"Found out?"

He pointed at himself.

Then at Aiden.

"My dear brother-in-law, we are descendants of ducal families."

Aiden nodded in agreement.

"The academy might as well put announcements directly into our hands."

Luca stared at them.

Then sighed again.

"...Fair enough."

The three of them began walking through the corridor together while students occasionally moved around them.

For several moments, nobody spoke.

Then Kyle finally lost his patience.

"So?"

"So what?"

"What happened?"

Luca looked at him.

Kyle looked back.

Aiden quietly observed the exchange while already appearing amused.

Eventually, Luca surrendered.

Not completely.

Just enough.

"The Hero Research Club discovered some ruins."

Kyle immediately groaned.

"The words ’Hero Research Club’ should never be followed by anything good."

Luca ignored him and continued.

"We explored them."

"We found ancient seals."

"The seals broke."

"We awakened something that absolutely should not have awakened."

Aiden blinked.

Kyle blinked.

Luca continued walking casually.

"As one does."

Neither of them spoke for several seconds.

Finally—

Kyle pointed accusingly.

"See, this is exactly what I mean."

Luca laughed.

The conversation continued as they walked through the academy pathways.

Luca explained the expedition broadly while carefully avoiding certain details.

He mentioned the ruins.

The corrupted remnants.

The collapse of the sanctuary.

The academy’s intervention.

The eventual containment of the situation.

What he did not mention were the things that even now remained shrouded in mystery.

The chained figure.

The silver-haired existence.

The strange statements directed toward him.

The ancient creature beneath the abyss.

And several other details that felt better left unsaid.

Not because he wanted to hide them.

Because he still did not understand them himself.

By the time he finished, both Kyle and Aiden looked thoroughly astonished.

Kyle ran a hand through his hair.

"I leave the academy grounds for one week."

He pointed at Luca.

"And you somehow start awakening ancient prisons."

"I did not awaken it."

"You were there."

"That proves nothing."

"It proves everything."

Aiden shook his head while laughing softly.

Then something seemed to occur to him.

"Wait."

His brows furrowed slightly.

"You mentioned the Vice Dean arrived personally?"

Luca nodded.

Kyle looked equally confused.

"Now that I think about it..."

He exchanged a glance with Aiden.

Neither seemed particularly certain.

Luca noticed immediately.

His eyes narrowed.

"...What?"

Kyle blinked.

"What?"

"Why do both of you look confused?"

The brothers exchanged another glance.

Then Aiden answered honestly.

"Because I didn’t know we had a Vice Dean."

Luca stopped walking.

Completely.

The corridor continued moving around them as students passed by.

Yet Luca remained frozen.

Kyle looked equally thoughtful.

"Actually..."

He rubbed his chin.

"Neither did I."

Luca stared at both of them.

For several long moments, nobody spoke.

Then—

His eyes widened.

"...Even you two don’t know him?"

The surprise in his voice was impossible to hide.

Because if there was one thing Luca had learned during his time at the academy—

It was that the descendants of great ducal families knew things.

A lot of things.

Political matters.

Academy matters.

Noble matters.

The sort of information ordinary students never even heard about.

Yet both of them looked genuinely confused.

Aiden folded his arms thoughtfully.

"I know the Dean."

Kyle nodded.

"I know several of the academy elders as well."

"But the Vice Dean..." Aiden continued slowly.

"...I have never heard anyone mention him before."

The smile gradually disappeared from Luca’s face.

Because suddenly—

The memory of standing before that silver-haired man returned.

The overwhelming power.

The casual confidence.

The way even ancient beings seemed to know him.

And most importantly—

The fact that Luca himself had never encountered him during any of his countless playthroughs.

Now even Aiden and Kyle did not know him.

The realization settled heavily in his mind.

And for the first time since returning from the expedition—

A new question surfaced.

Just who exactly was the Vice Dean of Arcadia Academy?