Ascension of the Dark Seraph - Chapter 41

Chapter 41: Community Service Test (1) Chapter 41: Community Service Test (1) Lucivar came out of his room after an announcement rang across the building.

It came from a professor, and he told the candidates to gather in the lobby as their presence was expected.

Lucivar was now draped in a pristine white varsity jacket that was exclusively made for candidates of the academy.

He was told to wear it and go down to the lobby.

Following the crowd, he couldn’t meet up with the others as the place was packed.

In hindsight, there should be about two hundred candidates.

Arriving at the lobby, Lucivar saw that the candidates were already lined up in front of a man, with a big belly-who wore a neat suit and tie, another professor, from the looks of it. Joining in the line, Lucivar looked around but still couldn’t find the others.

‘I wanted to tell the others about this but they should be fine,’ Lucivar pondered.

Knowing the others’ strength, he didn’t need to worry about them.

Soon, the rest of the candidates arrived and lined up, awaiting further instructions.

Sweeping his gaze across the hundreds of young people, aspiring Hybrids who wanted to be a part of the academy, the bellied man nodded-and smoked his pipe, “Good, you all heeded my summon.

My name is Professor Barry, and I have called you all here with a proposition-a call for community service” Upon hearing this, the candidates instantly burst into a discussion.

“Huh?

We’re called this late at night for only that?” “Community service?

We paid the academy and they wanted us to work?” “Man, I was playing LOLA and quit the game.

My win streak…” Listening to their banter, Professor Barry smiled, “Of course, this community service-is not mandatory participation.

Candidates who didn’t want to participate, could refuse.

You could go back to your rooms after checking your name with Kalvin on my side,” He gestured to his left where Kalvin stepped forward.

On Kalvin’s hand was a tablet, presumably the attendance list.

“For those who participated, you would be given academy points,” Professor Barry added.

Just as he said that, the entire lobby fell to silence once again.

Each one of the candidates exchanged a look with another, hesitance on their faces.

Despite the temptation-of going back to their rooms and skipping this community service- the candidates hesitated instantly, when the attendance list, was mentioned. All of them are fighting for the small quota and they feared to be looked at as less favorably by the academy if they skipped this because their names would be stated.

‘I guess there was no other choice for us,’ Lucivar shrugged his shoulders.

Although they were given the freedom to choose, it wasn’t a choice.

It was either participate or be viewed less by the academy.

Under the peer pressure knowing that the quota was tight, all candidates stayed behind.

Seeing this, Professor Barry smiled and gave a thumbs up, “Good choice everyone!” However, the moment he said that one of the candidates raised her hand.

Everyone looked at the person who raised her hand, and scooted over to the side a little so that Professor Barry could see who it was.

At the sight of the feminine candidate, everyone recognized her instantly-it was Elira.

“Sir, I’m not feeling well,” She said with a pliant smile.

“I think I’m going back to my room” Professor Barry raised an eyebrow before he gestured towards Kalvin.

“Okay, if you’re sick then there’s no helping it,” He said.

Pulling her pink hair over her ears, she excused herself-and went to the front to check her name before going back to her room under the others’ gazes.

Despite the pressure, she did not seem to be worried.

Lucivar looked at her leaving the lobby, he didn’t find this weird at all.

‘She has a red-grade bloodline, a Fairy nonetheless, she didn’t need to worry about getting a seat for herself in the academy as she would definitely get one.

If I were her-I’d also choose to not participate,’ He thought inwardly.

As he thought that, he waited for the younger sister, Thalia to follow but she didn’t.

Unlike her sister, she stayed behind and participated in the community service.

It was unexpected but she must’ve had her reasons.

Other than Elira, the other candidates stayed behind and Professor Barry finally started.

He called the candidates one by one to take a random fold inside a bowl, written on that fold was an activity-that they would be doing in this community service for the academy.

It only took ten minutes more or less for everyone to take a folded piece of paper.

After gaining confirmation from Professor Barry, the candidates opened the fold.

Lucivar opened his and found that he had garden cleaning, and alongside it was a map of the academy garden, and his section to clean colored in green.

Seeing this, he nodded as he was happy with what he got, ‘It’s deserted, this is great,’ A moment later.

Reaching his spot for community service with a broom in hand, Lucivar looked around.

He marveled once again at how big the academy was.

Even the garden seemed like a maze due to how massive it was.

From a glance the garden seemed to be tended well-there were only a few withered leaves here and there, that needed to be cleaned.

He placed both hands on his waist and searched around, “I was told that I’m partnered with someone” Just then, Lucivar heard footsteps coming from behind.

It was supposed to be his partner to clean this section of the academy garden.

‘Please don’t be the others,’ He hoped, it would be a hassle-to explain if he was paired with the others.

He was going to make himself look better to the academy, after all.

As he turned, he cursed his luck when he recognized the person.

Even though it was not the others, it would be better if it was not this person-Thalia.

“I’m surprised you didn’t follow your sister,” Lucivar commented.

It would be too awkward if he didn’t break the ice as their section to clean was quite big.

Going at a normal pace, this task should take about two to three hours to complete.

Upon hearing this, Thalia didn’t answer and walked past him, “Let’s just get this over with,” “Fine by me,” Lucivar shrugged and began cleaning.

Ten minutes into the cleaning, Thalia was scraping the dead leaves under a bench with her broom and unintentionally put Lucivar, in her line of vision.

She narrowed her gaze as there really was no ether coming from Lucivar, and it disturbed her.

‘He must be wearing something to block his aura, but for what?

He’s a bum,’ Thalia thought.

She couldn’t understand why Lucivar would do that.

But then, her eyebrows dipped into a frown, ‘Is he that person…?

No, there’s no way,’ Not too long earlier, Thalia heard a rumor-that someone broke the testing machine, because their bloodline’s purity was too dense to be calculated.

Nobody knows who, and there were a couple that caught Thalia’s attention.

Several of them to be exact, and one of them was a woman with deep purple hair.

She was weak, but the confidence in her eyes said otherwise.

Now another one was added to the list, Lucivar.

‘I thought getting into the academy would be easy, but there were unnerving individuals who came to enroll the day I came to be tested.

Sister might not need to be worried but me?

Sigh-what a headache’ Thalia pondered, massaging her throbbing forehead.

Due to these individuals, she feared that she might not be accepted.

Just as she raised her gaze, she was greeted by Lucivar slacking around.

His broom was not moving, he was only standing idly.

Thalia approached Lucivar, and tapped him on the shoulder, “Hey, it would take longer if you don’t help me clean this place,” She said, voicing out her disapproval before she sighed.

“Are you doing this to be alone with me longer?

I know you wanted to get to know me-but this is not it, this only makes me annoyed” Upon hearing this, Lucivar was at a loss for words.

He wasn’t expecting her to come to that ridiculous conclusion.

“Mirel was the one who wanted to get to know you, not me” Lucivar replied.

But this made Thalia sighed exasperatedly, “That’s what they all said.

Don’t even try to lie,” A vein popped comically on Lucivar’s forehead, pulsing as Thalia’s words hung in the air.

She was shaking her head at him, convinced, that he was lying-and her confidence was enough to make him want to scream at her.

Instead, he forced a painfully stiff smile, the corners of his mouth twitching.

‘I can kill her, right?

There’s nobody around anyway, even Kalvin was not around,’ ‘Or at least, can I smack her?

What’s she going to do?

Report me to the professor?’ ‘She wouldn’t do that or else she would need to confess to being hit by a bum like me’ ‘Is every girl from a big city like this?

I guess it’s because she’s famous’ Lucivar was battling his intention to touch Thalia, but he managed to resist, taking in a deep breath.

But before he could answer, he looked over his shoulder, sensing something, “I need to go to the toilet.

It’s not going to take long, I’ll be back,” Not even waiting for Thalia to respond, he walked away, leaving his broom behind.

“Hey!

I’ll report you to the professor for not helping if you’re gone for too long!” Thalia yelled.

She puffed her cheeks, pouting in annoyance, seeing Lucivar only waving his hand at her.

Despite her burning chest from being annoyed, she had no choice-but to continue cleaning and hoped that Lucivar was not ditching his task.

She swept the ground roughly, venting out her frustration to the poor, innocent broom.

Had she put more strength into it, the broom would definitely snap.

Just then, however, her attention was pulled to the side when she saw a shadow passing.

Since it came from the opposite direction, it shouldn’t have been Lucivar.

Looking around, she was completely alone and was a little bit scared, but she braced herself to check the nearby tree where the shadow darted.

She approached and circled the tree, “Is there someone there?

Answer me, I saw you already” Gaining no response, she went further to see whether there was someone.

But then-Thalia’s breath hitched as a sharp glint flashed before her eyes.

Moonlight caught the edge of a blade, its deadly shimmer streaking toward her.

In reflex, she raised her broom to deflect the blade, only to find it got split into two.

Realizing what was happening, her eyes widened before a kick landed on her stomach.

“Gaghhk!” She grunted, stumbling backward, dirtying her clothes.

Upon raising her gaze-to see the attacker while clutching her stomach, Thalia was greeted by a figure in a deep red uniform that looked like a ninja.

A sharp blade encased-with ether was poised ready in its hand.

Wiping the blood on the corner of her mouth, Thalia asked, “Who are you…?”