Chapter 30: The Traitor’s Daughter

Abbet von Lichberg.

A student who had been kidnapped by the masterminds behind the palace invasion and the only daughter of the finance minister.

Now, she bore a new title: the daughter of a traitor.

It all began when her father cooperated with the conspirators in an attempt to rescue his kidnapped daughter. That single decision set off two major incidents—the ‘Palace Terror’ and the ‘Princess Kidnapping.’

In Helatos, such actions were deemed treason.

His crime? Complicity in the murder of the imperial family.

A crime so grave it warranted the destruction of three generations of his bloodline.

Luckily for them, Helatos was a country ruled by law, and the guilt-by-association system had long been abolished. Thus, his wife and daughter were spared punishment.

But that was merely one stroke of fortune in a sea of misfortunes.

The Lichberg family was stripped of its aristocratic status, most of their land confiscated. The remaining members were left to bear the eternal stigma of betrayal.

And so, the whispers began.

“I heard Miss Abbet’s father… committed suicide?”

“Well, at least he had some conscience left. Unlike some others.”

Angelica and the other female students did not hesitate to mock her.

Abbet, once a fellow student, was now treated as a perpetrator rather than a victim. She kept her head down, trembling under their jeers, unable to refute a single word.

Lucy rested her chin on her hand, observing the miserable girl.

Who else could be more fitting of the title ‘unfortunate’ than Abbet?

Kidnapped for no fault of her own.

Her father driven to suicide.

Ostracized by her peers.

If Lucy were in her place, she would have cursed the heavens.

Still, she had no intention of interfering. It wasn’t her concern. Nor was it her fault.

If it was too much to bear, Abbet could simply leave the academy.

‘Even with the confiscations, the former finance minister’s family wouldn’t struggle to survive,’ Lucy mused, before turning away.

She chose to remain a bystander.

Meanwhile, the taunts did not cease.

“How did you escape from the kidnappers?”

“Did you act cute?”

“Oh, no way. If it were me, I’d rather die.”

“Right? She probably sold out her country just to live.”

Abbet endured the cruel words in silence. Her eyes remained open, but her spirit seemed closed off.

The ridicule only ended when Anderjan entered the classroom to begin the first lesson of the day.

—

First period.

A class that Lucy had actually been looking forward to.

The subject was ‘Staff Control,’ taught by Anderjan.

He led the students to the practice room and distributed wands—one-handed staffs imbued with enchantments.

“Given your entrance exam results, it’s clear that everyone here has a solid foundation in magic,” Anderjan stated. “Today’s class will focus on getting familiar with it.”

A few students exchanged puzzled looks.

A gray-haired male student raised his hand. “What do you mean by ‘getting familiar’ with magic?”

“By controlling your wands, you’ll prepare for future spells and develop a sense for them. Think of it as training your instincts.”

He continued, explaining that a wand was like an extension of a wizard’s body—something that should move as naturally as a limb.

“For today’s task, place your wand on the table and move it without touching it. Watch.”

He demonstrated, making his wand rise and hover effortlessly.

The students followed suit, placing their wands on the table and focusing intently.

No one succeeded immediately.

Lucy, however, smiled awkwardly.

For her, this was basic—something she had been able to do since level one.

With a mere gesture, her wand floated into the air, spun gracefully, and landed perfectly in her grasp.

Applause and murmurs of admiration followed.

Lucy, unimpressed by the reaction, quietly took her seat.

“Those who have passed, please wait while the others continue practicing.”

Lucy was the first to succeed.

Competition for second place immediately heated up.

Soon, the next to pass was Abbet von Lichberg.

She gazed at the wand in her hand, feeling a brief moment of pride—only for her expression to turn neutral as she noticed the cold stares around her.

Unlike Lucy, there were no cheers for Abbet’s success.

Just silence.

And faint whispers.

Angelica clicked her tongue in irritation.

Sensing the mood, Anderjan quickly redirected the class’s attention.

“The second student has passed. Keep working hard, everyone.”

Gradually, others began to succeed—among them, the gray-haired boy and Angelica herself.

—

The lesson ended.

And it had been utterly boring.

At Lucy’s level, revisiting such basics was like a pro athlete being forced to run warm-up laps.

Of course, she understood. This was just the first class. But she had come to the academy for something more—deeper knowledge, a broader understanding of magic beyond what she had seen in the game.

Her ultimate goal…

“To find a way to pass through the barrier of light and leave this continent… Ah.”

She covered her mouth, realizing she had spoken aloud.

Currently, she was in the academy library—a place that required silence. But given she was alone, she exhaled softly and resumed reading.

The book in her hands detailed the history of the Demon Continent.

She was searching for information about the barrier of light—the force that sealed away the demon race.

Unfortunately, the text was more myth than fact, offering no concrete details about the barrier’s origins, its magic, or its creator.

A sigh escaped her lips.

Just then, a familiar gray-haired student entered the library.

He selected a thick philosophy book and approached her.

“I want to read in the sunlight too. Mind if I sit here?”

Lucy considered arguing—there was plenty of space—but ultimately nodded. The library was a public space, after all.

The boy had neat gray hair and striking blue eyes, his noble-like features making him the envy of many men.

His name tag read: Noah.

“Did you come here because the classroom was noisy?” he asked.

“Hmm? No. Is it?”

“The kids are bullying her.”

Lucy knew who ‘her’ referred to.

“Abbet?”

Noah nodded. “Unlucky. She’s in the same class as Angelica.”

“They don’t get along?”

“Their families were rivals over land taxes. The Lichbergs lost. Angelica’s just taking advantage of this situation to settle the score.”

Lucy hummed in thought. “Then… wouldn’t it be better for Abbet to just leave?”

For nobles, social status was everything. A fallen noble in a school full of elites was nothing more than an easy target.

“Maybe. But people have their reasons.”

“Hmm…”

It was a valid point.

Abbet must have known what she was walking into. The academy housed not only the victim of the princess kidnapping incident but also her enemies. She had to have expected ostracization.

So why insist on staying?

“Does she have a reason for being here?”

Noah shrugged.

“Who knows? I’m not her.”

Before Lucy could press further, the lunch bell rang.

Noah immediately rose to his feet.

“Lunchtime! I’ll be off.”

He left in a hurry, leaving Lucy with unanswered questions.

“Why’d he even tell me all that…” she muttered to herself.