Chapter 132
With a rhythm etched into him by experience, he opened the old wooden wardrobe standing firmly in the corner of the room.
From within, he took out the layers of protection.
A thick, fur-lined jacket capable of deflecting the sting of the cold, a long wool scarf to shield his vulnerable neck, and layered undershirts that would serve as the final barrier close to his skin.
He didn't forget the wool gloves that had accompanied him through countless freezing nights.
Each item was arranged with precision, as though he were assembling a suit of armor to wage war against nature itself.
On the floor, his backpack—scarred with wear and memories—lay open, waiting.
Theo carefully stuffed all the necessities into it, creating an arrangement that was efficient and calculated.
A thermos filled with steaming hot tea was tucked inside with particular care, followed by a tightly rolled folding blanket.
A simple yet crucial face mask was placed in the top pocket, ready to shield him from the gusts said to freeze lungs from within.
Every buckle was fastened, every strap pulled tight, transforming the bag into a survival capsule—a portable fortress that would accompany his solitary steps through the inevitable savagery of the night.
'I don't have time to think about those faces.
There's something far more important waiting.'
Ssssh!
'Aldraya will bid her farewell to Ilux.
After that, she will walk toward the presence of the Almighty.
Because of that, I must be there.
Whatever happens, I must arrive before everything ends.'
The wind crept through the gaps in the window, carrying a cold promise harsher than ordinary night air.
In the quiet room, a man—Theo Vkytor—had completed his preparation ritual with the precision of a soldier about to march into battle.
Every layer of clothing, from the fur-lined jacket to the wool gloves, clung to his body like armor crafted specifically to face an unseen enemy.
A legendary night in this world.
His scribbled-on backpack was now filled with survival gear, including the thermos of hot tea and the folding blanket, as though he were not merely facing the weather but an existential battle against the elements that had stolen so many memories.
On the bed, piles of curse letters and threats were still scattered, reminders of the terrible reputation he carried—yet all of them had drowned beneath a single purpose far greater.
With calm and deliberate movements, he finally opened the dormitory room door and locked it with a confident click.
His steps were steady as he walked through the corridor, facing a sea of gazes from the girls who looked at him with a mix of disgust, fear, and helplessness.
Those eyes glared sharply, full of silent condemnation and curses, yet none dared speak or stand in his way.
They could only watch from afar, letting the man they believed to be an immoral bastard pass like a dark shadow drifting between the dim lights of the hallway.
Theo didn't care.
He had long grown accustomed to being the monster in other people's stories.
Each step he took left traces of prejudice on the cold stone floor, while his heart clung only to one vision.
Aldraya, and the farewell drawing near.
He continued walking, for who knows how long, crossing streets swallowed by thickening darkness.
The night wind whispered sharply, confirming his intuition that this night would be the greatest trial.
His well-insulated body still felt the pressure of the cold trying to pierce through every layer, reminding him of the time he nearly froze to death in the lake.
Yet his resolve did not waver.
His thoughts were filled with the image of Aldraya preparing for her final journey, saying her last goodbye to Ilux before stepping into the presence of the Almighty.
He had to arrive before everything ended—before the final words were spoken and the door to eternity closed forever.
At last, he reached the front of the male-exclusive Star Academy dormitory.
'What a strange fate I have—forced to live in a dormitory not meant for Academy students, but a leftover property of the Eshura family.
Even though it's staffed by many servants, the location is so isolated from the rest of the students.
Even the design of the building feels careless, as if no one cared who would end up living inside.'
Wusssh!
'And now I have to walk several meters to the Star Academy boys' dorm, all because this family once wanted to look powerful.
Truly annoying.
It's as if the distance was created on purpose, just to test my patience every single day.'
The dorm Theo lived in was not part of the usual boarding complex managed by the Star Academy for its students.
It was a direct imprint of the Eshura family's influence—a building erected by the will of that dynasty, operating outside the academy's standard regulations.
Because there was only one legitimate successor to the name Eshura Birtash—now borne by Theo Vkytor—the rights to the luxurious yet secluded dorm had fallen into his hands.
This reality forced him to live in a quiet space, surrounded not by peers or fellow students, but by loyal Eshura servants whose whispers and judgmental looks replaced the friendly chatter typical of dorm life.
Every corner, every piece of furniture, carried the scent of legacy and obligation he never chose, making the dorm not merely a residence but a symbolic cage of a bloodline he despised yet was forced to uphold.
'My steps are too long, and now my thoughts follow just as far.
But aside from that, this tree is really shady.'
Theo continued on with steady strides, piercing through the thin mist that began to settle along the path.
The seemingly endless walk pushed him to occasionally open the small yellow notebook he always carried, jotting down flashes of thought and observations about the biting night and the psychological burdens he felt.
The notebook became a vessel for the things he couldn't voice—a silent conversation with himself amidst the chilling quiet.
Every stroke of ink on the yellow paper was a hidden confession of the fragility beneath his cruel façade, of his longing for something warmer than the tea sealed in his thermos.
Suddenly, he stopped walking.
He stood beside a giant tree towering more than seven meters high, its sturdy trunk seemingly challenging the dark sky above.
Its shadow swallowed him almost entirely, offering symbolic shelter from the increasingly cutting wind.
Under the tree's vast canopy, Theo felt incredibly small—not only physically, but also before the destiny he was bound to.
He looked up at the swaying branches, as though searching for answers from nature about the path he must take and the burdens he must continue to carry.
'I hate this, but there's no choice but to climb.'
Usssh – usssh – usssh!
'This should do.'
Beneath the deepening night, Theo's body suddenly moved with the agility of a spirit melding with nature.
Without pause, he leapt onto the first branch, his grip clutching the rough bark like an eagle's talons.
His movement continued without hesitation, from branch to branch, his body swinging lightly in a perfect pendulum rhythm.
To be continued…