Supreme Hunter of Beautiful Souls

Kael handed the documents directly to Erika, without ceremony. Not just his letter of admission, but also the recommendation letter Adalric had given him.

Since he was already here, why not speed things up?

Erika took the letters with an impassive look and began reading them as they walked. Kael followed without hurry, with Stella right behind, casting furtive glances at him, as if waiting for the right moment to attack. He didn't seem to care one bit.

Silence reigned for a while, interrupted only by the sound of footsteps echoing through the halls.

Erika let out a heavy sigh.

"Old narcissist…" she murmured, her eyes narrowing as she read the signature on the letter.

Kael raised an eyebrow, a mischievous smile forming on his lips. "Adalric gave me this before I came. He said it would be useful." He commented, with a hint of provocation.

Erika glanced at him from the corner of her eye before folding the letter and quickly storing it away. "Everyone knows Adalric and how he acts," she replied, her voice dry. "But few have the misfortune of dealing with him directly."

"Good to know I'm not the only one who finds him eccentric," Kael laughed, amused.

Stella, who had remained silent up until then, observed quietly, intrigued by the casual exchange between the two.

Suddenly, Erika stopped and turned to Kael, her gaze sharp as a blade. "I already have a student. I won't be accepting any more disciples." She said, her voice firm.

"Great, fewer problems for me." Kael replied, with a mischievous grin. Stella, who had been quiet until then, finally snapped. "What did you say?" She asked, grabbing his shoulder roughly, stopping him from moving forward.

"I don't need a teacher. I just want to keep the skills I already have. Not a big fan of swords, you know?" Kael smiled, clearly provoking the situation.

"How dare you say you don't need my teaching!" Stella exclaimed, her red hair starting to rise, emitting a burning smoke, as if flames were about to burst out.

"Oh, so you're her student… How strange..." Kael muttered, eyeing Stella's body with curiosity. She didn't look like a child...

"Hmmm… Too hot to be under twenty." Kael commented, lecherously, before receiving a slap to the face.

SPLASH!

When he looked at Stella, she was completely red with rage, her face flushed with embarrassment. "Wow, that hurt…" Kael said, rubbing his face with a playful expression.

"FOR YOUR INFORMATION, I'M SIXTEEN YEARS OLD!" Stella shouted, her eyes shining with a mix of embarrassment and anger.

Kael continued to rub his face with an exaggerated expression of pain, almost as if he had been hit with a hammer. "I think this is going to leave a mark, huh… That hit was strong!"

Stella was completely red, her anger mixing with shame. "You're... AN IDIOT!!" She yelled, but her hand still trembled with nervousness.

Erika, who had been watching the scene with a completely neutral expression, let out a sigh. "Another incomprehensible crazy person for me to deal with... as if this eccentric girl wasn't enough…"

Kael, seizing the moment, placed his hand over his chest and gave a dramatic bow. "Ah, I'm flattered, really. It's an art I practice every day, you know?" He winked at Erika, completely ignoring Stella's fury.

Stella, completely irritated, went straight to the point. "YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THIS!" She closed the distance between them with impressive speed, and Kael took a step back, grinning in amusement.

"Calm down, calm down!" Kael raised his hands in a surrendering gesture. "I was just joking. You have to admit, that was funny, right?" He looked to Erika, hoping for some kind of support.

Erika didn't react much, maintaining a rigid, neutral face. "It's not every day I see someone provoke a living flame and walk away unscathed."

"I'm not a living flame, Mistress!!" Stella growled, but it was clear she didn't know what to do with all that tension.

Kael, seizing the opportunity, leaned forward with a mischievous smile. "So, can I call you 'firestorm' now? Because, look, if you were a little older, I might start getting scared." He winked teasingly.

Stella looked at him with the fury of a volcano about to erupt. "I'M NOT A CHILD!" She yelled again, her hair still stirring like furious flames.

Kael chuckled and took a step back. "Okay, okay, I've learned my lesson. I'll stop with the jokes... For now."

Stella, panting, didn't know if she wanted to punch him again or just run away to hide. Erika, on the other hand, was clearly tired of the situation but tried to maintain a serious demeanor.

"Let's go, I'll put you in the recommended waiting room," Erika said in an impersonal tone, as if nothing had happened between them.

Kael shrugged, still with his carefree smile. "Of course, I'm at your service, Mistress Erika." He responded, giving a quick wink.

Stella glared at him, still with a flushed face, but it seemed like she had calmed down, at least for the time being. She now walked beside Kael, but the tension was palpable. The young woman was clearly seething, but she tried to hide it, staring at the ground as she walked.

Erika led the way, her footsteps silent as they echoed through the corridors of the building. Kael followed without hurry, but he was paying attention to every detail. The place looked like a true academic fortress, with heavy doors and hallways that seemed endless.

After a few minutes of walking, Erika stopped in front of a simple yet imposing door. She opened it with a firm gesture, and upon entering, Kael found a spacious room with chairs arranged in rows. Several people were already there, some younger, others older, but they all seemed to share one thing in common: anxiety.

"Stay here until your name is called," Erika said, her voice returning to the impersonal tone. "Behave yourselves, or I'll come back and give you a 'lesson'." She shot a quick glance at Stella, who responded with a low grumble, as if she was still bothered by the previous provocation.

Kael entered the room and settled into one of the chairs, throwing the documents onto the table and leaning against the wall, completely relaxed. He looked around, observing the other recommended candidates. They all seemed to be around the same age and wore nervous expressions, as if they were about to take a final exam.

Stella sat next to him, keeping her distance, still looking a little upset. She didn't want to look at Kael anymore but couldn't help stealing a few quick glances in his direction, as if trying to figure out what exactly was going through his mind.

"You saw how she acted, didn't you?" Kael murmured softly, not looking at Stella but knowing she was listening. "She tries to be so serious, but it's like she has a big fireball ready to explode."

Stella didn't respond immediately. She let out a muffled sigh and shifted in her chair. She wasn't in the mood to talk to him right now, but over time, she knew the situation between them still had much more to unfold.

The atmosphere in the room was silent, except for the occasional nervous murmur of other candidates. Kael reclined further into his chair, waiting for the process to begin. He wasn't worried at all about what would come next. To him, it was just another game, and he liked to play.

Suddenly, the door opened again, and a woman entered, carrying a stack of papers. She scanned the room, analyzing all the people present. For a moment, her expression showed surprise, but she quickly composed herself, maintaining a professional stance.

"Everyone here is recommended, right?" She asked, her voice authoritative yet friendly.

She walked up to a central table and placed the stack of papers on it. The room remained silent, with the other candidates clearly tense about what was about to happen.

"As you should already know," she continued, looking directly at the group, "this is the entrance test, a formality to ensure that there are no... intruders among you." Her eyes quickly passed over each person present, emphasizing her words.

She paused before turning toward a glowing sphere placed at the center of the table. "The instruction is simple. When your name is called, come up here and place your hand on the sphere. It's a truth sphere that will analyze your mana trait." She gestured to the sphere, which glowed faintly under the light of the room.

"This test will calculate, measure, and collect your magical information. It will be compared with your family records to ensure that you are who you claim to be. The process is crucial to avoid any... unforeseen issues." She concluded, placing a slight emphasis on the word "unforeseen," making it clear just how serious the process was.

She looked around, ensuring everyone was paying attention. "Now, wait as we begin. When your name is called, don't delay."