51 Interlude

In a quiet room filled with devices, a large sphere stands in the center, glowing with an orange hue. A woman stands nearby, constantly charging the sphere with her mana. And above the woman's head is a small fog moving around.

The woman had her eyes closed as she watched the struggle of her students. But all of sudden, her eyes snapped open.

"What do you want?" Her voice filled the empty room.

And out of nowhere a man appeared, wearing casual clothes and dark sunglasses.

"Did you notice me?" the man asked.

"Only because you wanted me to, now, what do you want? Vincent"

Vincent laughed as he took out his sunglasses revealing his sky blue eyes, "You're right, I need something from you, Selina"

Selina glanced at him without taking her hands out of the sphere and spoke, "What do you want?"

He approached the woman and stood beside her, "How about we talk for a bit?"

The woman looked displeased as she said, "I don't have time for that, I'm busy, can't you see?"

"That's nothing much, if you want to I can keep charging the sphere with my mana"

"It wouldn't work, since I'm the one maintaining the illusion"

"I could do it too"

"Yeah, but you refuse it saying you were too lazy to do it"

He chuckled a bit ashamed, "I said I was tired, not lazy"

She remembers perfectly what he said, but she knows the man and doesn't want to enter into an idiot topic against him, she would never win against his stubbornness.

"Just tell me what you want," She said in a firm tone.

Then Vincent's expression turned serious and that surprised Selina, she didn't expect that from him.

"I need you to not report what you saw in the exam" Vincent said, his tone totally grave and severe, but Selina knew him better, it was a request, a favor.

"What are you talking about specifically?" Selina asked.

"Iske Grace using the monster's method to expand his mana pool" 

Hearing that Selina was shocked, not because of the content of his phrase, she already knew what Iske did, and was planning to report him, she was shocked that Vincent knew it, that this man saw something inside her illusion, her domain.

"How?" she muttered indignantly.

He smiled, and said arrogantly, "I'm the strongest, your mere illusion wouldn't be able to stop me"

She glanced at him a bit pissed, "You're being annoying and making me mad, you're not helping your case"

He chuckled a bit, "So, can you do it?"

She paused for a second, thinking about her answer, then she spoke, "I can, but I need to know the motives"

"Do I really need to? Can't you just do it and trust me?"

"I can't. Unlike you, I need to follow the rules, and you know it. Things have started to change; rumors have been spreading, and the Hidden Demons have begun moving around. And you want me to spare someone like Iske Grace? He's already murdered someone, and now he's using demonic methods to grow stronger. He could potentially be a threat"

After saying that she paused to take a breath, and waited for Vincent's answer, and his answer was predictable. She was expecting it, but it still made her disappointed.

"I don't care about the Hidden demons, gather all them together and I would still destroy them"

"You may be right, but what if the demon king resurrects? It said that he was the strongest in all history, not only from the demons, but from all species"

"Nah, I'd win as well" VIncent answered, totally unserious.

Selina sighed, and was about to say something, but Vincent spoke faster, "Please, I wouldn't be asking that from you if it was not important. Please, Selina"

She stared at him as she cursed him in her mind, she hates it, she hates that he asked that way, begging, she hates when he's like that. Because she knows that she will not refuse it, and Vincent knows that as well, and that's why she hates him.

"I'll do it" She says, diverting her eyes from him.

"Thank you"

The conversation ended there, and Vincent walked away, but before he could leave, Selina asked:

"What if Iske Grace becomes a threat?"

He came to a halt and looked back to her, and with dead eyes he answered, "I'll personally kill him"

She nodded, then said, "I can hide it from the reports, as well erase anything that could exposes him from anyone but the dean"

"He won't be a problem, he's not even here"

She frowned upon his words, "Haven't you heard?"

Vincent glanced at her with confusion, then Selina added, "He's coming back, it seems that they found nothing on the exploration"

He rolled his eyes, "Of course, what a great timing" He paused for a second to think, "I'll deal with that old man, just focus on hiding what Iske did"

"You seem fond of that kid," Selina stated. 

"It's nothing like that"

"Then what is it?"

"It's a bet, one I hope I win"

Selina didn't understand his words, what he meant by them, and that left her curious and distressed, but she knew that Vincent wouldn't tell her.

"Is Eliza doing fine?" Vincent asked.

That question brought a smile to Selina, "Yeah, she is, are you not watching her as well?"

He stared at Selina for a while, but didn't answer, then he simply turned around and disappeared, as he left Selina felt her heart a little lighter.

"Look at him, worried about other people, that's a first"

After saying that Selina closed her eyes again and focused on her task and maintaining the illusion.