The moon hung high in the sky, casting a silvery glow over the sprawling grounds of Ainzlark Academy. Neron’s heart raced as he glanced nervously at Serah, her eyes gleaming with determination in the dim light. They stood at the edge of the dorm grounds, hidden in the shadows of towering trees, their breaths shallow with anticipation.

Neron clenched his fists, feeling the weight of the plan pressing down on him. This was his chance to escape, and to actually see if he could do it.

‘If I fail, I doubt the consequences will be that severe, but still…’ He dragged Serah into it, so the least he could do was win.

But that wouldn’t be easy. Ainzlark Academy was heavily guarded, its defenses formidable even under the cover of darkness.

‘I’m sure they’re using Observation Magic to check on everything and everyone. That’s precisely why I’m currently casting Jamming Magic, alongside a Cloaking Spell to remain hidden.’

Since doing that constantly ate at his Mana, however, it wasn’t sustainable.

“We have to move quickly,” Neron whispered, his voice barely audible above the rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze. “The longer we wait, the greater the risk.”

Serah nodded, her eyes flashing with determination. She trusted Neron implicitly, knew that he had a plan to navigate through the labyrinth of magic alarms and traps that littered the academy grounds. Together, they would find a way to escape, no matter the obstacles they faced.

With a silent nod, Neron took the lead, his steps light as he slipped through the shadows like a wraith. Serah followed close behind, her senses sharp as she scanned their surroundings for any sign of danger. They moved nimbly, weaving through the maze of buildings and courtyards with practiced ease.

“Reminds you of something?” Neron flashed a smile at her as they continued.

“Back when we tried playing tag with Aldred, maybe? Or hide and seek?”

“He would always win, though…”

“Yeah! Hahaha!”

They were having so much fun, like silly little kids, despite the tension of the moment.

Suddenly, a sharp beep cut through the silence, causing Neron to freeze in his tracks. His heart pounded in his chest as he realized they had triggered a magic alarm. They were running out of time.

“Keep moving,” Neron urged, his voice urgent as he pressed forward, his eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of the academy’s guards.

As they neared the outer perimeter of the academy grounds, Neron spotted a group of guards patrolling the area, their footsteps echoing softly against the cobblestone paths. He cursed under his breath, knowing they would need to find a way to evade them if they had any hope of escaping unnoticed.

With a quick glance at Serah, Neron gestured towards a nearby cluster of bushes, silently signaling for her to hide while he distracted the guards. Serah nodded, her eyes filled with silent understanding as she melted into the shadows.

‘Okay… time to use some of that privilege of yours.’ He told himself.

Since it was inevitable that they would eventually find out of his desertion, there was no harm in appearing suspicious now. He just had to ensure Serah wasn’t implicated.

Taking a deep breath, Neron stepped out from the cover of the trees, his movements cautious as he approached the guards. He forced himself to adopt a casual demeanor, praying that they wouldn’t see through his facade.

“Good evening, gentlemen,” Neron said, his voice steady despite the hammering of his heart. “Lovely night for a stroll, isn’t it?”

The guards eyed him suspiciously, though they also couldn’t help but offer him the respect that he deserved. Neron could feel their gaze boring into him, searching for any sign of deception.

“What are you doing out here at this hour?” one of the guards demanded, his voice sharp with suspicion.

‘You say that, yet I can see your lips trembling.’

Many of the guards were jobbers. Neron knew he could even beat them if he wanted, but that would only compound the issue. Harming an Academy official or destroying Academy properties would attract severe punishments, and even if they would be mitigated for his sake, he didn’t want to handle such consequences.

Neron forced a smile, his mind racing as he struggled to come up with a convincing lie. “Just taking a walk, enjoying the fresh air. As long as I don’t pass the bounds, I haven’t broken any rules, right?” he replied smoothly. “Is there a problem?”

The guards exchanged a wary glance before shaking their heads, apparently satisfied with his answer. With a curt nod, they turned and continued their patrol, their footsteps fading into the night.

Neron let out a sigh of relief as he watched them disappear into the darkness.

‘There is indeed a Curfew, but it hasn’t been placed into full effect yet. Not until classes resume tomorrow.’

That was one of the reasons he had to make his escape now! “Alright…” He had managed to buy them some time, but they couldn’t afford to linger. They needed to press on, to put as much distance between themselves and the academy as possible.

Turning back towards the bushes, Neron called out to Serah, his voice low but urgent. “It’s clear. We need to keep moving.”

Serah emerged from the shadows, her eyes shining with gratitude as she fell into step beside him. Together, they pushed forward, their footsteps light as they skirted around the edges of the academy grounds, careful to avoid any further detection.

Of course, Neron kept using Magic to avoid detection and also sense any nearby interference, while he made Serah disarm the alarms as he detected them.

All of that was too much for him to handle at once, especially if he wanted a swift escape, which was why he employed her help.

But their luck couldn’t hold out forever. As they reached the outer perimeter of the grounds, they triggered another magic alarm, setting off a series of traps that blocked their path. “Damnit!” Neron cursed under his breath as he surveyed the scene before them, his mind racing as he searched for a way to bypass the obstacles in their way.

“Sorry. I thought I—!”

“I know. It’s most likely a double-layered trap. Dad told me about them.” He sighed, looking at the blocked path before them.

“We can’t go through,” Serah murmured, her voice tense with frustration. “We’ll have to find another way around.”

Neron nodded grimly, his eyes scanning the area for any sign of a hidden passage or alternate route. And then he saw it – a narrow gap between two towering walls, barely wide enough for them to squeeze through.

“Follow me,” Neron said, his voice determined as he led Serah towards the gap. “We’ll have to be quick.”

Together, they slipped through the narrow opening, their hearts pounding with anticipation as they emerged on the other side. They were free, finally!

“The Academic City is just up ahead, and I’m sure there are some external patrols, but I’m sure I can handle them myself.” Neron smiled as he looked at Serah.

They both knew that he couldn’t take her with him, so there was no need for further words.

Still… Neron found himself lingering behind a little.

“Be a good girl, okay? And… thanks for this.”

Serah nodded, her eyes filled with a complicated display as she reached out to grasp his hand. “You’re welcome,” she said softly. “Just promise me you’ll be back soon.”

Neron squeezed her hand tightly and nodded with a bright smile.

This chaptr is updated by freeωebnovēl.c૦m.

“I promise!”

Then, he drew her close into an embrace before kissing her on her forehead. “You better not get into any trouble for me.”

“I-idiot! I won’t…”

Soon, they detached from each other, both their cheeks red, but covered in the shade of darkness.

“Bye!”

With a final, lingering glance, Neron turned and disappeared into the night, leaving Serah alone in the darkness. She watched him go, her heart racing heavily as she mimicked his word.

“Bye…”