CLEAVER OF SIN

Chapter 260: Neutral

Finch sank into his seat, a small, satisfied smile curling across his lips as he observed Ryaen acknowledge his greeting. Her subtle nod, though brief, carried a weight that made the gesture feel significant. Following him, William greeted her with equal propriety, his tone polite yet firm. Despite having encountered her earlier, William didn’t even dare consider himself friends with Ryaen; she remained the heir to a Duchy, and he to a Barony. Courtesy and respect were thus not optional, they were required.Though the Star Academy did not segregate students based on imperial rank, instead prioritizing power above all else, first-year students were still new to its intricacies. They had only recently been admitted and remained mindful of social etiquette and the importance of acknowledging those of higher status, whether noble or exceptionally skilled. Greeting someone like Ryaen properly was as much a matter of survival within the Academy’s unspoken hierarchies as it was of decorum.

"So, it seems you’ve become a superstar of some sort," Ryaen Silvershade’s voice cut through the ambient noise, echoing with both amusement and a faint undertone of playfulness. "Or should I call you a Hero now? Perhaps a Hero sent by a god to save the world of Crymora from its inevitable end."

Although her words rang clear and confident, she did not look directly at anyone in particular, nor did she address anyone by name. But William and Finch were certain that she was not speaking to them, the weight of her tone carrying a directed purpose.

rate it. Thus, even hiding was not even a solution.

He shook his head to dispel the spiral of overthinking. If the students perceived him as some heroic savior, they would soon realize their expectations were misplaced. He had no intention of wandering the halls, rescuing every individual who looked to him for salvation. That was an unpaid job, one that offered neither reward nor incentive.

Perhaps, should the system present such a mission alongside an absurdly high reward, he might be motivated. Until then, his actions would remain dictated by his own desires and assessments of necessity. The world’s fate, heroes, and gods could wait. Asher acted according to his own accord, always had, always would.