I Don't Need To Log Out

Arlon was happy to see Yuma again after so long, but a twinge of sadness crept in as he thought about her having to leave so soon.

The time spent reminiscing with her had felt far too short.

Who could have guessed that the quiet, kind-hearted girl from Istarra was someone so significant? He chuckled to himself.

The next morning brought a new chapter of surprises. Birna herself, head of the Magus Council, arrived at the training grounds to investigate the mystery of the crystal balls.

She carried an air of authority that seemed to weigh the air around her, though her curiosity about Nyx's odd results gave her a touch of humanity that lightened the mood.

"Let's see what we've got here," Birna said, observing Arlon and Nyx with a sharp gaze that reminded Arlon of an eagle ready to pounce on prey.

Arlon and Nyx repeated the process of infusing mana into the crystal balls. The results were the same as before—an ugly brown glow from Arlon's ball on the second phase, and the eerie black glow from Nyx's.

Arlon had already confided in Birna that his magic vessels had come from Agema, as per Zephyrion's advice. Zephyrion had assured him that Birna was someone he could trust.

"Golden yellow for the first phase makes sense," Birna said, her brows furrowing as she examined the glowing orb. "Agema's magic vessels are legendary, after all."

Arlon nodded, feeling a bit more at ease. Birna's deduction had quickly unraveled the mystery of his own results. The brown color, she theorized, was simply a byproduct of Agema's ability to wield all elements, merging them into an indistinct hue.

"So, your secret is safe," Birna added with a knowing smile. "Though you'll have to live with that ghastly brown if anyone asks to see your crystal again."

Arlon chuckled, though he felt more relief than amusement. "Better ugly brown than the alternative."

But Nyx was another story entirely.

Birna stared at the black glow emanating from Nyx's ball, her expression shifting from curiosity to outright bafflement.

"First of all," she began, "there is no such thing as a 'darkness' element. Darkness is simply the absence of light."

Arlon shifted uncomfortably. That was true in Trion, but Nyx wasn't from Trion.

He couldn't tell Birna—or anyone else—the truth about Nyx's origins, so he had to stay quiet as theories flew around the room.

"Shadow element?" one Magus suggested.

"Maybe it's an undiscovered element?" another chimed in.

"Black paint element!" Sheila quipped from the sidelines, earning a few chuckles.

Birna rolled her eyes, though she seemed amused. "This is why we keep you out of serious discussions."

Elements had created the universe, so there were many elements that weren't in Trion as well as many that existed in Trion but had yet to be discovered.

That was the reason for trying unnecessary things like "black paint", making sure that it wasn't an element that wasn't discovered before.

Despite the brainstorming session, no plausible answer emerged. Even Sheila, who inspected the crystal ball herself, admitted, "This is above my pay grade. Not that I have one."

Theories spiraled into the abstract, but none held water. Birna eventually called off the investigation for the time being.

"We'll revisit this when we have more data," she said, though her tone betrayed her frustration.

--- Find more to read at My Virtual Library Empire

Your text is natural, and the humor lands well. Here's a longer version with an extended ending and more playful dialogue:

"Today is the last day of your history and etiquette training. Next week, you will head to Cardon Academy as guest cadets," Ben reminded them as they gathered for their morning session.

"You're halfway through the program. After your academy stint, you'll transition to field operations. But don't worry about that just yet," he added, his tone as neutral as ever.

For the players, the news was bittersweet.

"Finally, no more lectures!" Evan whispered, pumping his fist discreetly.

But seeing Carmen's face show a weird look, he remembered what it meant. After the next week, they would need to kill Keldars.

The reminder wiped Evan's grin off his face. The group exchanged nervous glances, unsure whether to be relieved or terrified.

Arlon, noticing the gloom settling over the group, decided to lighten the mood.

"Come on, guys, cheer up! We're going to a fantasy academy—like in those light novels. You know, where everyone becomes a super OP protagonist with amazing powers."

This was seriously out of character for Arlon and everyone realised it instantly. He had talked more than he had in the past weeks in total.

But it also made them realize what he was trying to do.

"Huh?" Maria raised an eyebrow, smirking. "Does that mean you're going to build your harem, Arlon? Just like in those novels?"

The room erupted into laughter.

"Harem?" Arlon repeated, feigning shock. "I'm here to learn and grow as a warrior and magician. And I even wear a mask.!"

"Sure, sure," Zack said, grinning. "We'll totally believe that when we see it."

"Maybe he'll get a cool rival who secretly respects him but pretends to hate him," Lei chimed in, giggling.

"Or a mysterious mentor who dies tragically to unlock his hidden potential," Pierre added, barely keeping a straight face.

"Guys, this is a real academy in a war-torn world, not some cheesy story," Arlon protested, though the corners of his mouth twitched upward.

"Yeah, but if you were building a harem, who'd be first?" Evan asked, waggling his eyebrows.

Arlon sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I regret bringing this up."

Maria leaned in, resting her chin on her hand. "Don't worry, Arlon. We all know Nyx has already claimed that spot."

The little dragon, lounging on Arlon's shoulder, chirped in agreement.

---

After the day ended, Arlon turned himself into Arlon the guide once more.

This weekend would be the last time Arlon the guide acted for some time.

His progress over the past weeks had been steady. His swordsmanship had improved significantly.

Though far from mastery, he had built a solid foundation with military techniques. It wasn't just about learning to swing a sword effectively—it was about understanding when, how, and why to swing it.

He had also learned a few abilities for swordsmanship.

Spatial magic, too, had finally clicked into place. After countless failed attempts and frustrating nights, he could now create a pocket dimension roughly half the size of EVR's inventory.

While it wasn't enough to store everything he wanted, it was progress. More importantly, it was his space, independent of the system, a step toward greater autonomy in this world.

As he practiced summoning and dismissing the pocket dimension, Nyx watched with curious eyes. The little dragon chirped in approval when Arlon successfully stored a small box inside.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Arlon said, smirking at Nyx.

Her reply was a smug chirp that sounded suspiciously like finally.

---

With that, the weekend passed, and the players logged back into the world of Trion.

As they gathered in the citadel's courtyard after wearing their uniforms, they found Nora waiting for them, her usual composed demeanor in place.

"Ready to move out?" she asked, her sharp eyes scanning the group.

A chorus of nods and murmured affirmations followed. Nora gave a brief nod in return and gestured for them to follow.

Their destination was a small open area just outside the citadel. It was secluded, the kind of place that felt intentionally chosen to avoid prying eyes.

In the center of the field stood a portal.

Unlike the towering, grand portals they had passed through during their arrival in Trion, this one was smaller and more subdued, its edges softly glowing with blue light.

"This portal will take you to your destination," Nora explained, her tone as efficient as ever.

Without further ado, the players stepped through, one by one.

And exiting the portal, they found themselves in front of a gate of what seemed like a castle for the biggest royal family ever.

It was the Cardon Academy.