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[FLASHBACK]
***TWO YEARS AGO***
It had been one month since the incident.
One month since Mikael had barely survived an encounter with a calamity-level beast—an entity that should not have been anywhere near the Crown Capital's outer vicinity.
The entire Empire had been shaken.
Within the Academy's grand hallways, the atmosphere remained thick with rumors, speculation, and restless curiosity.
"Hey! Have you all heard the details?"
"You mean the incident involving Mikael Yvan Everette?"
"Yes! That one! They say he actually survived a direct encounter with a calamity-level beast!"
"That doesn't make sense! Those creatures don't just appear near the Crown Capital!"
"Exactly! My father mentioned it's under investigation. Apparently, Marquis Valehart himself is overseeing the case."
Whispers overlapped, voices rising and falling like waves crashing against stone.
Speculation fed into speculation.
The story spread like wildfire.
