Chapter 108: You’ve Worked Hard, Stacie
“I just… I just wanted everyone to see what I could do.” Stacie’s voice drifted like a whispering breeze, fragile and tinged with helplessness. “But I… I failed. I failed so utterly.”
Merlin reached out gently, his hand threading through her hair with the softness of one soothing a wounded creature. His touch carried warmth, quiet reassurance, as if trying to convey a profound understanding without words. “You’ve worked so hard, Stacie,” he murmured, his voice low and steady, brimming with compassion and patient acceptance.
At last, Stacie could no longer hold back her tears. They spilled freely, a torrent of grief and frustration interwoven into a raw, heart-wrenching sob. Her body trembled slightly, her tears tracing glistening paths down her cheeks, falling onto the ground like the release of emotions long suppressed and denied.
Merlin said nothing further; the simple acknowledgment of her effort—“You’ve worked so hard”—spoke volumes. He sat silently by her side, letting her tears flow unchecked, as if the world itself had stilled to honor her sorrow.
In that quiet, the surrounding world seemed to hold its breath. Only the gentle trickle of the fountain under the silver moonlight answered her crying, forming a somber, melodic rhythm in harmony with her heartache.
High in the Mage Tower, Weber and Vice Principal Jenny watched the scene reflected in the crystal ball.
The orb glimmered in the dimly lit room, casting images of Stacie and Merlin by the fountain with soft, ethereal clarity. As the dust settled, a faint, approving smile curved Weber’s lips.
“See,” he said, his voice deep and steady, infused with unwavering trust and hope. “They’ve succeeded, haven’t they?”
Jenny’s brow furrowed slightly. Though she trusted the students’ abilities, her concern lingered. “But… what if they failed?”
Weber turned, his gaze sharp as a blade, fixed on the vice principal. “Jenny, as their mentors, our duty is not only to protect them but to guide their growth. Every challenge is a lesson, every hardship an opportunity. Only when they face adversity can they truly understand the breadth of their potential.”
Jenny exhaled softly. Her worry had not entirely vanished, yet she understood Weber’s intent. She knew he, a demigod, wielded incomparable power. Yet he deliberately refrained from intervening, allowing the students to discover their strength through this trial.
“I understand what you mean, but I still worry,” she said gently, a note of tender concern threading her words. “If the enemy they face exceeds expectation, the consequences could be irreversible.”
“I believe in them,” Weber replied firmly, his gaze returning to the crystal ball. “No matter the outcome, they are growing. We must trust their choices, give them the space to explore their own power.”
Jenny nodded, slowly feeling a sense of relief. She, too, wanted to witness the growth of her students—those same children who had once learned magic diligently in the classroom were now confronting true trials.
She smiled faintly, her gaze settling once more on the orb. Warmth blossomed in her chest as she saw Merlin, Yuna, Carl, and the others facing the Moon’s Dark Whisperer with courage and wisdom, their bravery and intelligence shining bright. Pride welled up uncontrollably.
High above in the Mage Tower, the crystal ball’s glow shimmered, capturing the adventures and growth of these young mages. Weber and Jenny watched silently, guardians of their journey, hoping their students would stride ever further along this path.
The next morning, the sun of the Arcane City poured through the towering spires onto the academy’s courtyard, yet a tense atmosphere clung to the air.
After a night of revelry, the faculty gradually returned to the campus. Cleverly, the Moon’s Dark Whisperer had chosen this exact moment—when the academy’s instructors were out celebrating—to seize control of Stacie and push her into a rampage.
Given the scale of the incident, accountability was inevitable. As the origin of the chaos, Isabelle Stacie faced the academy’s judgment.
During the trial, Stacie admitted to all her actions and expressed her willingness to accept any punishment. In any ordinary circumstance, such a grievous event in the Arcane Academy would warrant expulsion and imprisonment. Yet her professors and friends all stood firmly in her defense.
By the second trial, Kaelos of the Elven race, with Arthur’s assistance, offered reparations and apologies, soothing those harmed by the incident. As a result, the offended students no longer pursued retribution against Stacie.
Merlin, Yuna, Carl, and others confirmed that Stacie had been manipulated by the Moon’s Dark Whisperer, acting against her will rather than out of malice.
Merlin himself covered all damages and financed the academy’s repairs, negotiating terms favorable to his own commercial ventures—true to his nature, ensuring he did not suffer a loss even in generosity.
Ultimately, Stacie was stripped of her title as an outstanding first-year student, had all academy honors revoked, and lost privileges such as residing in the faculty apartments—minor consequences that barely touched her spirit.
“Isn’t this wonderful, Stacie?” Yuna said, sitting opposite her and pouring a steaming cup of red tea.
The fragrance filled the air, a warm embrace that seemed to lift the shadows from Stacie’s heart. Her friends had organized a tea party—a girls’ gathering full of treats and drinks meant to cheer her up. Happiness spread through the small room, subtle yet pervasive.
In this world, there was no concept of cake. The “snacks” were Merlin’s culinary inventions: marinated delicacies, tangy-spicy lemon-passionfruit chicken feet, double-skin milk pudding, and more.
As for drinks, they came courtesy of Honey Time: milk teas and fresh juices, refreshing and sweet.
Yet faced with these irresistible treats, Stacie found herself unable to focus on eating. Her cheeks flushed, fingers idly twirling her silver hair, shyly turning to her friends with a hesitant question.
“Um… I want to know… what’s the difference between liking someone and loving someone?”
Yuna’s hands trembled slightly as she held the teapot, the cup wobbling in her grasp—clearly stunned by Stacie’s question.
The other girls stared at her in astonishment, their expressions a mix of disbelief and curiosity. Why would Stacie ask such a thing?
Blushing deeply, Stacie realized she might have overstepped and stammered to explain: “I… I have a friend who had a dream. In the dream, a beautiful princess was weaving a flower crown in a sea of blossoms, waiting for her prince on a white horse. She placed the finished crown on the prince’s head, and then… then… in the midst of the flowers, the princess and the prince shared a vow-bound kiss.”
As she spoke, Stacie’s cheeks deepened to a rosy hue, as if the imagined flower sea bloomed vividly in her heart. The girls around her froze, eyes wide with amazement and curiosity.
Yuna set down her teacup gracefully and asked in a soft voice, “Stacie… what else did your friend say?”
“W-Well… my friend said that when she’s alone, she always thinks of that person’s face…” Stacie’s voice grew quieter, tinged with embarrassment yet threaded with longing.
It was clear now: Stacie had fallen in love. At that instant, whispers spread among the girls, their eyes sparkling with excitement. They felt envy and joy at the same time, imagining her radiant smile blooming from the sweetness of first love.