Free Web NovelChapter 28: Chapter 28: The Threshold of Suspicion
The cheerful atmosphere lingering around the dormitory doorway vanished instantly.
Even the enchanted candles lining the corridor seemed to dim beneath his presence. Their golden flames flickered against the stone walls, casting long shadows across the velvet carpet stretching through the Class A residential floor.
Valerius walked forward without rushing, his heavy boots striking the polished stone in measured rhythm. He wasn’t releasing mana nor was he displaying intimidation techniques. Yet every step somehow carried enough pressure to make the air feel heavier.
Lina’s fingers instinctively tightened around Qhuin, her pulse hastened.
The memory of the cave flashed through her mind.
The dead Gore-Boar, shattered stone and the impossible strength now flowing through her body.
The system windows and Qhuin’s voice in her head.
Every secret she possessed suddenly felt exposed beneath those golden eyes.
Beside her, Elizabeth remained completely unbothered.
"Oh!"
She smiled brightly.
"Professor Valerius!"
The history teacher raised a hand in greeting, as though they had encountered each other on a peaceful afternoon walk rather than during a school-wide emergency lockdown.
"Look what I found."
She gently lifted Qhuin a little higher in her arms.
"The poor thing was wandering around near the elite stables."
Qhuin resisted the urge to bare his teeth.
’Poor thing!’
Three centuries of conquest reduced to a frightened pet rabbit, his ancestors would have thrown themselves into the sunlight from mere humiliation.
Valerius stopped exactly three paces from the doorway.
The movement felt deliberate as his cloak settled around his boots like black water.
Then his gaze swept across the group.
First Elizabeth, then Lina, and finally Qhuin, the sensation made Lina feel like she was being dissected while still alive.
"Student Lina."
Valerius’s emotionless voice cut through the corridor slowly, yet it somehow sounded more frightening than shouting
Lina swallowed.
"Y-Yes, Professor?"
"The residential sector is under lockdown."
The statement didn’t sound like a question
"Y-Yes."
"Then explain why your contracted beast was discovered outside its designated safety zone."
Lina’s stomach dropped, the question had arrived instantly, and panic surged through her chest.
Then another voice spoke inside her head.
The voice of a king addressing a nervous servant.
’Breathe’
’You are frightened so act frightened, for once your natural talents can be useful.
Qhuin’s mental voice carried a dry amusement.
’Do not overthink it.’
Lina took a shaky breath.
Fortunately, fear came naturally to her.
"I-I’m sorry, Professor!"
The apology escaped her mouth her voice trembled without effort.
"When the lockdown barriers activated, the brass handle on my door suddenly snapped."
Valerius remained silent.
The silence forced her to continue.
"There was a loud noise and Snowy got scared. Before I could stop him, he squeezed through the gap and ran away."
She lowered her head.
"I-I searched for him, but the security arrays were already active."
The corridor became quiet, Valerius studied her expression.
Lina felt sweat gathering on her palms.
The pressure she felt didn’t lessen, if anything, it increased.
Several seconds passed, then Valerius began walking forward.
The distance separating them disappeared.
Lina nearly stopped breathing, and even Elizabeth blinked in mild surprise.
Inside her arms, Qhuin’s ruby eyes narrowed slightly.
’He’s not interested in the explanation, His investigating. Annoying’
Golden light slowly ignited inside Valerius’s eyes.
The moment Qhuin saw it, every instinct in his body sharpened.
God’s Eye.
The appraisal talent.
At the same time, crimson warning windows erupted across his vision.
[Warning: High-Tier Observation Skill Detected.]
[False Veil Active.]
[Masking Sub-Routine Reinforced.]
[Threat Assessment: High.]
Qhuin remained perfectly still, but internally, however, calculations raced through his mind.
’Why does he always have to be annoying and Irritating’ he scoffed
’Fate truly possessed a twisted sense of humor’
Valerius’s gaze settled upon the rabbit.
The golden glow intensified.
Qhuin immediately abandoned every remaining shred of dignity.
His ears drooped his body trembled and his nose twitched
Then he produced the weakest squeak he could manage.
"Squeak..."
Lina almost winced.
The performance was shamefully convincing.
The former Vampire King looked ready to collapse from fear.
Inside his own thoughts, however, Qhuin was sneering.
’Observe me, fool.’
’Look at my fluffy tail, marvel at my overwhelming rabbitness.’
Valerius continued staring.
Seconds stretched, neither moved.
The corridor remained completely silent
Lina’s heart pounded so loudly she thought everyone could hear it.
Then she noticed something.
Valerius wasn’t merely scanning Qhuin.
His gaze occasionally shifted toward her.
Qhuin noticed it as well.
’It seems his instincts had detected something, but it was not enough to uncover the truth, but he was still cautious’ He chuckled
The False Veil had hidden her mana, but it hadn’t hidden common sense.
A commoner who survived the Lower Abyss unharmed during a Calamity-level incident naturally raised questions.
Eventually, the golden light faded.
Valerius’s expression didn’t change, Qhuin discovered the subtle shift immediately.
Dismissal.
The rabbit had been ruled out.
A predator capable of draining a Rank C beast dry should have radiated arrogance.
Not the overwhelming desire to hide behind a teenage girl and squeak nervously.
Valerius straightened.
"Repair your door."
Lina blinked.
"What?"
"The handle."
His voice remained flat.
"If your beast triggers the security arrays again, it will be terminated as a potential security risk."
Lina immediately nodded.
"Y-Yes, Professor."
She believed him completely, there was no threat in his voice but assurance
If Snowy triggered the alarms again, Valerius would kill him.
The same way someone would remove a dangerous pest.
The conversation should have ended there.
Unfortunately, Valerius didn’t leave, his gaze returned to Lina. fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
A faint crease appeared between his brows, he seemed to be thinking, for the first time since arriving at the academy, Lina truly understood why everyone feared him.
He wasn’t powerful because he could kill monsters.
He was powerful because he noticed things other people missed
And if someone like that started pulling on the wrong thread...
The entire lie would unravel.
Before Valerius could continue, Elizabeth suddenly stepped forward.
Her white robes swayed lightly as she inserted herself between teacher and student.
"Oh honestly, Professor."
She puffed her cheeks.
The gesture looked absurdly childish.
"The poor girl was trapped inside a monster cave for hours."
Her smile widened.
"Must you interrogate her outside her bedroom too?"
Valerius looked at her.
Elizabeth smiled back, neither spoke for several seconds.
Lina felt trapped between two completely different storms.
One cold, and one strangely cheerful.
Eventually, Valerius looked away first.
"We are investigating a potential threat."
"And she is a terrified first-year student." freewёbnoνel.com
Elizabeth clasped her hands together.
"Surely the academy can survive one evening without another interrogation."
The history teacher turned toward Lina.
"Get some rest, sweetie."
Her smile remained warm, gentle, and comforting.
Then her gaze shifted downward, toward Qhuin.
The rabbit’s ears twitched.
For less than a heartbeat, something changed, her smile remained, the same posture and same voice.
Yet the warmth vanished from her eyes, only for an instant, a tiny fraction of a second.
Most people would have missed it, but Qhuin didn’t.
His ancient instincts screamed, and the sensation felt familiar, not because he recognized it but because he recognized what it represented.
Death.
Not the savage death of beasts, but a clean cold death like standing before an executioner.
Then it vanished.
Elizabeth giggled softly.
"Goodnight, Snowy."
Qhuin stared, the sensation he felt disappeared completely, as though it had never existed.
’She’s hiding something.’
He didn’t know what, but for the first time since meeting her, genuine caution settled inside his thoughts.
Valerius turned and walked away.
Elizabeth followed shortly afterward.
Their footsteps gradually faded into the distance.
Only when they completely disappeared did Lina finally move.
SLAM.
The heavy oak door shut.
Lina immediately pushed the broken brass handle into place.
Then her legs gave out.
She slid down the door and collapsed onto the floor.
Her chest rose and fell rapidly.
She hadn’t realized how tense she was.
"We’re alive..."
The whisper escaped before she could stop it.
Qhuin leaped from her arms, landing lightly upon the cracked mahogany floor.
For several seconds he simply listened.
The corridor remained silent, no footsteps, or observers.
Only then did he relax.
A little.
Lina looked up at him, and the tiny rabbit stared back.
Then his voice echoed inside her mind.
"You survived because you acted naturally."
Lina blinked confessed.
"What?"
"You were terrified."
Qhuin hopped onto the edge of her bed.
"For once, that worked in our favor."
Despite everything, Lina looked offended.
Qhuin ignored her.
His ruby eyes narrowed.
"He suspects something."
The amusement vanished from his voice.
"He does not know what."
"But his instincts are warning him."
Lina’s face paled.
"And the history teacher?"
For the first time since the conversation began, Qhuin hesitated.
A very brief pause, but enough for Lina to notice.
"I do not know."
His voice lowered.
"But she is dangerous."
The former Vampire King looked toward the closed door.
Remembering that fleeting sensation, that glimpse hidden behind the woman’s smile.
"I have met warriors."
"I have met kings."
"I have met monsters."
His gaze hardened.
"And whatever she is hiding belongs somewhere on that list."
Lina swallowed, and the room became quiet. She had a lot of questions to ask, but before she could a brilliant blue-and-gold light suddenly flooded the room.
A massive holographic screen erupted into existence above the bed.
System windows unfolded one after another.
Training schedules, attribute control exercises, mana circulation drills, strength calibration routines.
Lina stared at the growing list.
Her face slowly lost all color.
Qhuin followed her gaze.
Then a faint smile appeared in his eyes.
A smile that reminded Lina exactly why she should be afraid of him too.
"Now then, brat."
His voice carried the calm authority of a monarch issuing orders.
"You have spent the entire day trying not to die."
The system screen expanded again.
More instructions appeared.
More exercises.
More impossible requirements.
Qhuin’s smile widened.
"Your first lesson begins now."
Lina suddenly missed the cave.
