Free Web NovelChapter 199: How Did He Know?
It didn’t take long for Ruvian to understand the meaning behind Vanessa’s words.
If both him and Julian shared the same strange scent — the same heavy and ominous smell Vanessa described — then there could only be one explanation.
Demons and Dark Mana.
But why? Why did Julian already have that kind of scent on him?
For Ruvian, it was still understandable. He had just returned from Ashway Bazaar after directly fighting against Demons there.
His body had even been exposed and tainted by Dark Mana before Duchess’s light magic forcefully purified it afterward. And so, it was only natural for some traces of that strange scent to still remain on him.
But Julian was completely different.
Why would Julian, someone who had supposedly stayed inside the academy this entire time, already carry the scent of Dark Mana and Demons on him?
Without much thought, he activated [Omniscient Review]. (-500PP)
Ruvian quickly skimmed through the contents of the novel from the earlier volumes — before, during, and after the Vazrun Island Test. And it was then that he found something strange.
There was a small foreshadowing hinting about Julian’s abnormal behavior after the Vazrun Island Arc.
Then later...
He suddenly disappeared completely after the Magus Spire Arc.
’Hmm...’
Ruvian’s eyes narrowed slightly.
’I have a feeling something is seriously wrong here.’
It could also explain why Julian went missing in the novel and never appeared again afterward.
After a few seconds, Ruvian quietly deactivated the skill.
"Anyway, Violet... if you’re only saying I smell bad because you want to chase me away from visiting you, then I’ll take my leave now." fɾēewebnσveℓ.com
After saying that, Ruvian slowly turned around and began walking toward the infirmary exit.
’No... wait.’
But Vanessa still wasn’t done talking yet.
’You’re lying...’
Her fingers unconsciously tightened slightly against the blanket.
’I can tell it... y-you’re hiding something from me.’
Then suddenly...
Tug.
Something lightly grabbed onto Ruvian’s sleeve.
’Hm?’
Ruvian paused before slowly turning around. And the moment he did, his eyes slightly widened. Vanessa was already standing beside the bed — standing behind him.
She was still wearing the loose white infirmary robe, the sleeves slightly too long for her arms while her dark purplish hair remained completely messy from earlier.
Her bare feet quietly touched the cold floor as one of her hands weakly held onto the edge of his sleeve. Almost like she was afraid he would disappear if she let go. Meanwhile, her amethyst eyes were quietly staring at him.
Slightly trembling and watery.
"Don’t go... yet."
Her voice was low and soft.
Ruvian silently looked at her. Then Vanessa lowered her head slightly before gripping his sleeve a little tighter.
"Please..."
"Tell me more."
Her lips trembled faintly.
"What exactly is that scent on you...?"
Vanessa slowly lifted her gaze toward him again.
"I-I need to know that.... I have too..."
’Why... why you had the same scent as the people who came to execute my family. I have to know that.’
But Vanessa kept the last part completely to herself. She still couldn’t bring herself to say it out loud yet.
Then suddenly, Ruvian called her again. But this time, instead of casually saying "Hey" like before, he called her by her name.
"Violet."
Vanessa’s body slightly stiffened.
"Let go of me."
Almost instinctively, her fingers loosened from his sleeve. Vanessa slowly pulled her hand back before lowering her gaze toward the floor.
’...Ah.’
A bitter feeling quietly rose inside her chest.
’It seems I was too hasty. Haha. What the hell am I thinking... it’s not like simply asking questions or relying on someone else would solve anything anyway.’
That thought quietly pierced deeper into her heart — painfully and coldly. Vanessa already understood it a long time ago. If she truly wanted to uncover the truth behind her family’s execution, then she could not trust anyone.
Anyone could become her enemy. And she would probably always remain alone in this entire predicament.
A faint, wistful smile slowly appeared on Vanessa’s face. A lonely one at that. Almost like she had already accepted everything.
But then, Ruvian’s cold voice suddenly echoed through the quiet infirmary room.
"Your family’s execution." (+300PP)
’—!!’
Vanessa’s eyes instantly widened, even her body shivered.
’What—!?’
Slowly, she lifted her head again to look at him.
Ruvian continued. "If you wish to learn the truth about that... then come see me tomorrow. I’ll send you the venue details later. If you decide to come, I’ll tell you everything you want to know."
Vanessa could only stare at him blankly. Her mind had already become completely disoriented from shock. Then, without saying anything else, Ruvian simply began walking away.
The sound of his footsteps slowly echoed across the infirmary floor while Vanessa remained frozen in place, staring at his retreating figure.
’H-how...?’
Her fingers trembled slightly.
’How did he know about that...?’
The emotions she had desperately tried to suppress until now suddenly began crashing into her mind all at once. And with that, her legs finally lost all her strength.
[You have received +700 Plot Points!]
*****
Ruvian padded out of the infirmary. But then, without warning, he paused as someone was standing ahead of him in the corridor.
The girl was facing him directly, framed under the soft ambient light. Pale skytouch hair cascaded down her back, catching the glow in cold reflections. Her ocean-colored eyes widened in clear surprise despite the usual restraint in her expression.
"Ruvian?"
For a moment, neither of them spoke. She looked just as startled to see him as he was to see her. "Why are you...here?" she began, the question trailing before it fully formed.
Ruvian blinked, then raised an eyebrow lightly. "I was about to ask the same," he said, then folded his arms. "But to answer your question, I was just checking on my classmates."
Calyra’s lips parted. "Classmate, huh," she echoed, a subtle questioning of her own reaction, as if surprised by the pull of it.
Ruvian found her tone to be unusual. He tilted his head and asked in return, "You haven’t answered my question."
"Me? Why else? I was the one who brought her here."
That caught him by surprise. "You... brought her?" he asked, tone laced with disbelief.
A second later, he thought to himself.
"How? You’re not even in the Magic Combat elective."
Calyra’s expression subtly shifted, not offended. Her eyes narrowed slightly in contemplation, as if something about that statement didn’t sit right.
"...How do you know what electives I’m taking?" she asked.
’Shit.’
Ruvian cursed inwardly.
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[Chapter 199: How Did He Know?]
Plot Points= 33,930
