The power of the storm summoned by Siena was terrifying.
Every piece of furniture in the lobby was sent flying into the air.
A massive iron bookshelf weighing hundreds of kilograms wobbled and spilled its books.
Except for Jang Woohee, everyone pressed themselves to the floor to withstand the storm.
Jang Woohee let herself be carried by the swirling storm. With a nonchalant expression, she floated in the air as if swimming in the sea.
"Hmm."
Even so, whenever she was about to collide with a wall-like obstacle, she skillfully dodged it.
After a while, the storm subsided.
The first-floor lobby looked like it had been through a war, completely devastated.
"Ha, ha, ha..."
Most people couldn't get up from the floor.
They just lay there, gasping for air, having exhausted all their strength to not be swept away by the storm.
The only ones unaffected were Siena, Jang Woohee, and Theo. Just three of them.
Siena was fine, of course, since she had summoned the storm, which avoided her.
Jang Woohee didn't resist the storm and instead embraced it, showcasing her exceptional physical control.
Piel asked Theo.
"Ha, ha, ha... Ah, I'm so exhausted. Hey, how come you're all fine?"
"It's because of this."
Theo pulled out a sculpture from his possession.
It was a sculpture dressed in the attire of a Taoist from the Eastern Empire.
Piel's eyes widened with curiosity as she looked at the sculpture.
"What's that? It looks like a common sculpture."
"This is actually an artifact registered in the Waldeurk family's treasure vault. Holding it can increase one's weight by up to 600kg."
Theo had pulled out the artifact from his [Subspace Bag] as soon as they were exposed to the storm.
No matter how powerful a storm summoned by a high-tier wind spirit was, it couldn't move a human weighing 600kg.
Piel scratched her head.
"There are all sorts of artifacts out there... Can you use it to reduce weight as well?"
"It can't reduce weight."
"Ah, too bad."
After a while, those who had caught their breath began to get up from the floor.
Adrienne stood up, stretching his back.
"Ouch, my back. It almost broke from holding on."
As she moved, her bones made cracking sounds.
Britney and Sara, who also got up, twisted their backs.
"Ah, my back. I think we've done enough training for today. I'm going to have muscle soreness tomorrow."
"I knew spirit mages were powerful, but I didn't expect this much. Can you summon spirits other than wind?"
Siena responded.
"Hmm~ I can summon Swish-swish anytime, but the others are a bit difficult right now. We're not close enough yet; they're still shy."
Adrienne and Britney smiled.
"Even powerful spirit mages have their limits."
"It's our victory for holding out! After all, she failed to blow us away!"
Siena puffed out her chest with a triumphant expression.
"Huh, really? You guys were no match for me. I expected as much."
Siena's gaze was fixed on the chests of Adrienne, Britney, and Sara.
Their clothes were made of thin material, unlike Theo and his group, who were wearing the sturdy academy uniform.
Therefore, their clothes couldn't withstand the ferocious storm and were completely torn apart.
In other words, they were now in their underwear.
"!!"
Adrienne and Britney's eyes widened as they realized their state.
The two women quickly covered their private parts with their hands.
However, it was impossible to cover everything with their small palms.
Men are creatures dominated by sight.
Mike and Billy's mouths fell open as they murmured.
"Wow, it's pink."
"More voluminous than expected..."
The two women glanced at Theo and the other men and then screamed.
"You perverts! Don't look!"
The two women, unfamiliar with such situations, froze on the spot.
"..."
Theo didn't give a single glance at the two scantily clad women.
Instead, he pulled something out of his [Subspace Bag].
It was the [Invisible Cloak].
'No matter how strong I've become... this damn body is still a teenage boy's.'
Thanks to [Twisted Noble's Dignity], he was barely controlling his gaze.
But who knows when his eyes might escape control.
'That would be a disaster.'
Whoosh─
Theo threw the [Invisible Cloak] to Adrienne and Britney, who were hugging each other.
"Wrap this around."
The two women wrapped the [Invisible Cloak] around themselves. Their figures disappeared.
The now invisible women said in a whispering voice.
"Th...thank you, Theo Lyn Waldeurk."
"Thank you, Theo. Billy, Mike. We need to talk later."
The two women quickly went up to the second floor, where their rooms were.
Unlike the two women, Sara stood still in her underwear.
Theo asked her in a puzzled tone.
"Aren't you going, Sara?"
"Whatever... It's just a body that will rot away when I die. It doesn't matter."
It was a lie. Sara's heart was ablaze with embarrassment.
'If I make a fuss here, what would Theo think of me?'
He might see the Practitioners as fools—
With that thought, Sara felt overwhelmed with shame but endured it.
Theo removed his academy jacket calmly and offered it to Sara.
"Put this on. You'll catch a cold."
"It's okay. I've never caught a cold... my body is quite resilient..."
Without a word, Theo placed the jacket over Sara's shoulders.
"..."
The jacket enveloped Sara's body.
Due to their size difference, the jacket generously covered her down to the upper part of her thighs.
'It's warm.'
When was the last time she felt such warmth from someone else?
She couldn't remember. Perhaps it was the first time.
From her earliest memories, she had been in the Order.
The Kyren Zena Continent is filled with countless orphans.
Even now, more are being created.
Many of these orphans end up in the Order.
The disappearance of ten or twenty of them at any given time wouldn't even be questioned.
Thus, children in the Order learn to compete before they learn to cooperate, all in a bid to survive.
Naturally, Sara's life was also marred by struggle.
Fortunately, Sara possessed exceptionally strong divine energy from a young age, and her physical abilities were superior, making her a success story.
Other ordinary children envied and resented her.
So, Sara built an invisible wall around her heart.
...To protect herself.
...Because she could only trust herself.
Sara closed her eyes for a long moment before opening them again.
'...I've dwelled on this for too long.'
She spoke to Theo.
"I'll wash it and return it to you."
"No need. Just use it and throw it away or whatever."
He had plenty of spare academy jackets.
Sara hesitated before responding.
"Ah, okay... Thank you."
Billy and Mike, having never seen Sara like this, laughed incessantly.
"Wow, to see such a spectacle in one's lifetime."
"But why do I feel sick watching this? I feel like vomiting."
"Oh, I read about that in a book. It's called kin selection or something? It's some instinctual thing you feel towards your sisters or female relatives."
"Oh... That sounds about right. But Billy, you read books?"
"Of course, only novels about love."
In the midst of this, Theo spoke up.
"It seems we can't proceed with the tactical meeting today. I want to rest; show me to our room."
Billy and Mike approached Theo.
"Sara seems broken, so we'll show you. Let's go to the second floor, Theo."
"Alright."
Billy, Mike, and Theo headed up to the second floor.
Sara was left alone in the first-floor lobby.
Her eyes scanned the surroundings. The lobby was in complete disarray, with not a single spot left untouched.
Yet, for some reason, her heart felt warm.
Sara buttoned up the academy jacket. Theo's scent enveloped her.
"...It smells good."
Sara stood there for a long time.
In the heart of the Kyren Zena Continent lies its only Empire.
The Empire was the center of the continent, both geographically and in terms of influence.
Except for special places like the great forest or the Magic City, the Empire's influence reached across the entire continent.
Within the Empire, filled with towering buildings, was an especially majestic mansion.
In the mansion's banquet hall, 12 men and women were seated around a round table.
Despite it being the middle of the night, they were heatedly discussing.
"Those idiots from the north! If they're going to die, at least they could blow up their base. Why drag us into their mess?"
"If anyone sees inside the demon Shrine in the base, even those fools from the Order will realize we're connected!"
They were the executives of [Leading Mind].
[Leading Mind] is a major force within [Turning White] and the second-ranked hero guild in the Empire.
Being second in the Empire means being second on the continent. It boasts over a hundred members.
While [Ford Company] within [Turning White] focused on magic engineering, science, and tactical strategies, [Leading Mind] specialized in military strength.
One executive spoke up.
"Where has the captain gone at this crucial time?!"
A female executive answered, her eyes sharp as a fox's.
"The captain went to meet with the leader of [Turning White]. And..."
She continued.
"Before leaving, all decision-making powers were delegated to me. You all should know this by now."
Her name was Alaya, the Chief Administrator of [Leading Mind].
She was also the older sister of Hailey, the Chief Administrator of the [Ataraxia] guild.
Alaya looked around at the executives and said.
"We need to erase any trace of us remaining in the Magic City."
