Chapter 29: Fragmented Flashback

“‘No lies detected’ means she truly didn’t do it.

And ‘unrelated to the case’ means the real killer was someone else.”

“So whether the murderer was inside or outside the school, if the investigation continued, there should’ve been some way to uncover the truth eventually.”

“But here’s the strangest part.”

“After nearly several months of high-intensity investigation, the Empire officially announced that they had found no clues whatsoever.

With no leads left, they reluctantly declared the case a temporary unsolved mystery.”

“And the girl at the center of the storm, Lucia, wasn’t punished or even questioned any further by the school.

She continued her daily life as if…”

“As if she had never experienced the incident at all.”

“From then on, no student in Class Two dared to approach Lucia again.

Even if they ran into her in the halls, they’d make sure to take a detour — terrified that they might end up like that boy, mysteriously dying just from interacting with her.”

At this point, Vivian paused deliberately.

“Rumors began to spread — that Lucia carried a terrible curse, or that she was a messenger from hell, walking the earth in human form.”

“Even so, despite being isolated by her classmates and even her instructors, Lucia behaved as if nothing had changed.

She still attended class, studied, ate, and slept as usual.”

“Was it that her endurance was simply that strong?

Or had she already gone completely insane?”

The story ended there — a sudden silence, leaving behind a heavy sense of suspense.

That was Sal’s impression of the tale — an unfinished academy legend.

But… as a horror story, it didn’t quite hit the mark.

“So, little Sal, how did you find it?”

Vivian asked with a grin, clearly proud of her storytelling.

Sal, being honest as always, shared her true opinion with Vivian.

What she didn’t expect, however, was that this so-called “urban legend” actually had roots in reality.

The story’s main character — Lucia — really did exist at the academy.

Although what happened in the legend might’ve been exaggerated, there was indeed a mixed-blood dragon girl in the Magic Department named Lucia.

And her personality matched the story almost perfectly.

Withdrawn.

Silent.

Avoided by everyone.

And recently, there had actually been a real accident in her class — Class Two.

The student involved had interacted with Lucia shortly before the incident.

Although the investigation later confirmed that she wasn’t responsible, the seed of suspicion had already been planted.

And once that kind of rumor takes root, it’s nearly impossible to get rid of.

That’s why in recent days, even more “academy legends” had begun circulating.

And almost every one of them involved the same mixed-blood dragon girl.

(That poor woman… she probably didn’t even do anything.

Just because she’s reclusive and her identity is unusual, people treat her like a freak and gossip about her nonstop.)

These so-called “academy legends” were really just idle gossip for students.

And if someone wanted to defend themselves seriously, it was nearly impossible.

Ordinary humans had no way to clear their name — let alone a half-dragon.

“Since the bedtime story’s over…”

“Sal, remember to pull your blanket up. I’m turning the lights off.”

Hearing Natiavida’s words, Sal’s mouth twitched.

Especially at the phrase “bedtime story.”

(Who tells ghost stories about cursed students as bedtime tales?!)

Of course, Sal only complained inwardly — she wasn’t foolish enough to say it aloud.

Soon after, Natiavida waved her hand, cutting off the magic supply in the room.

The last lamp flickered out, leaving the dorm in complete darkness.

Sal lay in bed, waiting for her eyes to adjust, before deciding to calm her mind and focus on the enrollment process tomorrow.

But for some reason, just as she was about to close her eyes, another figure surfaced in her mind.

(I wonder what that guy, Raine, is doing right now?)

(Did he stay somewhere nearby, or did he already leave the capital and return to his mage tower?)

Some thoughts, once formed before sleep, have a way of seeping into dreams.

Sal was no exception.

Just thinking of Raine before dozing off was enough — he appeared in her dreams soon after.

In the dream, Sal found herself wearing an elegant gown, standing beside Raine in a luxurious, high-end bar — as if they were on a date.

And the one serving drinks and food was none other than her father, Xiyan — wearing a black bunny suit and smiling with a stiff, formal grin.

One side of the dream represented family.

The other, affection.

Perhaps that was what the dream was trying to express.

Then, suddenly, the dream shifted again — warped and twisted.

This time, when Sal regained awareness, she realized she was standing alone in a narrow alley filled with the scent of blood.

The ground was splattered with red — blood, and chunks of unrecognizable flesh.

Two broken dragon horns lay among them.

Why was she seeing this in her dream?

What was the connection between the two scenes?

The vividness of it all made her jolt awake in the middle of the night.

At the time, she didn’t think much of it — assuming it was just because of Vivian’s creepy bedtime story.

Carefully, she confirmed she was no longer dreaming.

It was still dark outside.

Natiavida and Vivian were both fast asleep after an exhausting day of study.

Unless there was a thunderous noise, they wouldn’t wake up.

So, while the two slept soundly, Sal quietly got out of bed and tiptoed to the washroom.

Inside, the magic stone lamp cast a soft orange glow.

Sal braced her hands on the sink, standing on the small stool she used for bathing.

Under the light, she stared at her reflection for a long time.

Then, her gaze shifted to her right hand.

The bracelet — the one inlaid with a glowing gemstone — shimmered vividly under the light.

According to Raine, the magic power stored in Sal’s dragon form had all been condensed into this bracelet.

In other words… if she followed the method Raine had taught her, she could release all that stored magic at once.

Sal stared fixedly at the gem.

But within seconds, flashes of the bloody scene from her dream reappeared before her eyes.

This time, they were sharper — too real.

The alley.

The torn limbs.

The blood splattered across the walls.

Sal fought the urge to vomit, shaken by the imagery, and remembered the eerie academy legend Vivian had told her.

“Lucia… huh?”

“If I get the chance tomorrow, maybe I’ll try talking to her.”

For some reason she couldn’t explain, Sal suddenly felt a strange curiosity toward the mysterious half-dragon girl she’d never met.