Chapter 45
Emotion manipulation magic could be resisted, as long as one was mentally prepared—just like Eila was now.
Or if the person possessed an unwavering belief that directly opposed the caster’s intentions.
However, the suggestion planted by the opponent wasn’t potent enough to challenge any deep-rooted values.
If Eila stubbornly resisted the magic now, it would only heighten their suspicion of her.
‘If that happens, they might resort to force.’
There was no escape route.
Eila had no choice but to follow the girl in front of her.
She took a slow breath.
“All right, lead the way.”
Eila spoke calmly, folding her hands together politely.
If she couldn’t escape right away, she needed to leave behind some kind of trail—something someone could follow.
As she fidgeted with her clasped hands, she carefully used her fingernail to snap the bracelet she had recently loosened.
It was the bracelet Felix had gifted her to ward off misfortune.
‘The beads are small… even if I drop them, they might go unnoticed…’
But would it be enough to leave a visible trail until they reached their destination?
Anxious, Eila followed closely behind the student.
With each step, she dropped a turquoise bead on the ground.
Perhaps convinced the magic had fully taken hold, the girl never once looked back.
They gradually headed toward the academy’s forest—an area rarely frequented.
Eila’s expression hardened when she noticed.
‘The destination is farther than I thought.’
She was almost out of turquoise beads.
For a moment, she considered using one of her magic potions, but if she failed to overpower the girl, the consequences would be worse.
Fortunately, shortly after she ran out of bracelet beads, they arrived at their destination.
“We’re here.”
The girl opened the door herself.
When Eila hesitated, she barked irritably.
“Hurry up and get in!”
Then, she shoved Eila hard in the back. Eila stumbled and was pushed inside the building.
Clang!
The door slammed shut behind her.
‘It’s an old storage shed.’
The air inside was thick with a musty, stale smell.
Cold sweat trickled down Eila’s neck.
‘Emotion magic really is something else.’
Even though she had stayed alert, a part of her mind had still succumbed to it.
What surprised her even more was that she couldn’t recall the girl’s face at all.
‘Using magic so blatantly… Rosia must really be getting desperate.’
Eila had irritated Rosia in subtle ways, but she hadn’t expected her to act this boldly already.
It seemed her presence had truly started to unnerve Rosia.
The door felt sealed shut, as if it had been magically welded.
Eila tugged at the handle several times before letting out a dry laugh.
‘Locking me up in a shed right before the exam… Is she trying to stop me from taking it entirely?’
But why?
‘Because I outperformed her in the potion class? But she should know I’m doing poorly in every other subject…’
Eila carefully sat on the dusty floor, her mind still turning.
‘There’s no way Rosia found out about the mana insensitivity cure… Wait. What happens if I fail every subject in this exam?’
The thought sent a chill down her spine.
‘I’ll be expelled… and then I won’t be protected by the Academy anymore.’
Clearly, Rosia was waiting for her to become a stray—someone without protection or power.
That would make Eila easier to handle.
‘And what comes after that… well, I can imagine.’
Eila laughed bitterly, recalling all the dramatic scenarios from the original novel.
If Rosia’s goal was to ruin her, then this scheme had already succeeded halfway.
‘If I can’t get out of here in time, I’ll never finish the temporary cure.’
Eila looked around the dark interior.
The shed was pitch black, not a single ray of light creeping in.
Even if she used a potion, no one outside would notice.
Rosia had surely put up magical barriers.
The only silver lining—Eila had a general idea of where she was.
Likely one of the many storage sheds across the academy.
But it hadn’t been used in ages; dust blanketed everything.
That meant it was highly unlikely anyone would come by, even after a day or more.
‘The academy won’t start a full-blown search just because I’m missing.’
After all, she was just a commoner.
And if things got worse, Rosia might manipulate others to delay or block any search.
Eila might not be discovered until long after.
‘Or maybe… she plans to get rid of me entirely while she has the chance.’
Could she be certain that wouldn’t happen?
Eila stared at the tightly sealed door with a cold expression.
The one thing she could be grateful for was that she had managed to leave behind a trail—however faint.
‘Felix will understand.’
Eila looked down at her wrist, now bare.
The bracelet Felix had given her was gone, only a thin string remained.
‘He has to find me quickly…’
If she was lucky, she’d make it back before the exam began. But in that case, she wouldn’t finish the potion.
Eila squeezed her eyes shut.
She remembered how coldly she had told Felix to stop interfering in her affairs.
‘I was too harsh.’
She recalled the look on his face when he had handed her the bracelet, acting like it was nothing.
‘Told him not to care so much… acting all high and mighty…’
Now, she had no choice but to rely on him entirely.
Eila quietly closed her eyes.
All she could do now was pray that someone—anyone—would find her.
* * *
The next day, Peony arrived at class as usual, only to wear a troubled expression.
Eila, who always arrived before her, was nowhere to be seen.
‘Did she stop by somewhere else first?’
She waited, hoping Eila would show up before roll call. But the seat remained empty.
Even Professor Jaycee, who was scheduled to teach the first class, looked confused.
Tilting her head, she asked Peony,
“Do you know where Eila is?”
“I… I’m not sure either.”
Professor Jaycee looked around at the other students. They all shook their heads, just as puzzled.
Any student who missed class was supposed to inform the instructor in advance.
But Jaycee had received no notice regarding Eila’s absence.
“She probably ran off because of the exam.”
“She was bound to fail anyway. It’s not like graduating from here would do her any good.”
“Isn’t her tuition covered by the Blanche family? She should be ashamed.”
Usually, the students avoided criticizing Eila in front of Peony.
But this time, they didn’t hold back.
Then, some turned to Rosia.
“Rosia, you don’t know anything?”
“Eila doesn’t exactly have anywhere else to go right now.”
They were suggesting she might have returned to the Blanche household.
Rosia tilted her head and answered innocently,
“I haven’t heard anything from the family.”
“Oh my gosh… then where did she go?”
“I’m not sure either. I don’t know why Eila didn’t come to class today…”
Rosia responded with a convincingly puzzled expression, feigning concern as if she truly had no idea.
Peony stared at Rosia for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly. Something felt off.
‘She’s definitely pretending.’
Peony was no fool. Rosia’s demeanor was far too composed, too prepared—like someone who had been expecting Eila’s absence.
Still, she couldn’t openly accuse her without proof.
Peony bit her lip and quickly glanced at the clock. The class was about to begin.
‘Eila wouldn’t just skip class. Not with exams this close.’
Even if she was stressed or exhausted, Eila wasn’t the type to vanish without a word.
An uncomfortable feeling crawled down her spine.
‘I need to find her.’
As soon as the bell rang and Professor Jacey began the lesson, Peony quietly slipped a note onto her desk—disguised as scribbled lecture notes.
“If you’re reading this, Eila, I’ll find you. Just hang in there.”
No one noticed the faint shaking of Peony’s hands as she closed her notebook.
Meanwhile, back in the dusty, silent storage shed, Eila leaned against the wall, trying to keep her breathing steady.
Her body ached from the cold, and her legs had long since fallen asleep. Time felt like it had stopped moving altogether.
Clatter.
She heard a noise outside—too faint to be certain, but it made her heart race.
Eila immediately held her breath, straining to hear more.
But there was nothing. Silence again.
‘Was it… someone looking for me? Or just the wind?’
Her mind swirled with anxiety and exhaustion.
The only thing keeping her sane now was the image of Felix and Peony—of someone realizing she was missing and coming to her rescue.
Eila closed her eyes and whispered into the darkness.
“Please… find me.”
