Chapter 337: What Happened?

The Academy grounds were quiet under the night sky, most students already settled into their dormitories after the long journey back from holiday break.

Luna walked with her head down, black hair falling forward to hide her face, silver eyes fixed on the stone path beneath her feet.

Damian walked beside her, hands in his pockets, his longer crimson hair tied back.

They’d arrived hours ago, gotten their preliminary check-in done, but neither had headed to the dormitories yet.

The eastern garden stretched before them, ornamental trees casting shadows across manicured lawns, benches positioned near decorative fountains that caught moonlight.

Damian stopped walking and turned to look at one of the fountains.

Luna took three more steps before she realized he’d stopped.

She stood there, frozen, her hands clenched into fists at her sides.

Then she stopped moving entirely.

Damian waited, giving her time.

The fountain’s water made soft sounds, filling the silence between them.

"Luna?"

His voice came out quiet.

"...What happened?"

She didn’t turn around and didn’t lift her head.

"...Why aren’t you disappointed?"

The question came out barely above a whisper.

Damian’s eyebrows rose slightly.

"What?"

Luna’s hands clenched tighter, her nails digging into her palms.

"When we saw the announcement... when Grandfather publicly acknowledged me..." Her voice trembled. "You had no reaction. Nothing except... relief. Why?"

Damian looked at her for a long moment, then shifted his gaze to the moon hanging above them.

"And why should I not be relieved?"

His voice remained calm, almost gentle.

Luna’s head snapped up, her silver eyes finding him, and something flashed across her face.

Anger.

Pure, righteous anger that made her voice come out sharper than she’d probably intended.

"Grandfather only acknowledged me... He didn’t acknowledge you."

Her hands were shaking now, not from fear but from emotion magnified a hundred times by her skill.

Damian exhaled slowly.

"Why does it matter?" His tone remained calm, almost gentle. "You’re acknowledged and you have the protection. That’s what Mom and Dad wanted."

He met her eyes directly.

"I already have the Headmaster’s protection... That’s enough."

"No!"

Luna took a step toward him, her voice rising.

"Mom and Dad wanted BOTH of us acknowledged. Both of us protected. Not just–"

"Luna."

Damian interrupted quietly.

"I’m not related by blood to Vice Director Onyx."

The simple statement hung between them.

Luna stared at him, her face contorting with emotions she couldn’t fully control.

"Does it even matter?! You’re part of our family. Blood doesn’t–"

She cut herself off, breathing hard, trying to gather her thoughts.

"I don’t want this protection. Not if it means you’re being treated like..."

She couldn’t finish the sentence.

Damian watched her struggle.

"You don’t even call me brother nowadays."

His voice came out soft, without accusation.

"Why do you want me to be acknowledged as your brother now?"

Luna went completely still, her mouth opening and closing.

"I... this... this is different."

The words came out weak, unconvincing even to her own ears.

She looked away, her cheeks flushing slightly.

Then she tried changing the topic, grasping for different ground.

"I saw the comments on the forums. The whole Federation is thinking of you as someone who isn’t even accepted by his own family. Like... like eating those Monsters turned you into something they can’t acknowledge... Something shameful."

Her voice cracked slightly on the last word.

Damian smiled, the expression small and genuine as he looked at her.

Then he tilted his head back, looking toward the stars.

"I don’t care."

Luna opened her mouth to protest, but he continued before she could speak.

"Luna... learn to take advantage of everything you get."

He turned to face her directly, crimson eyes reflecting moonlight.

"You’re getting protection from your grandfather. Use it. Use this moment of quiet and safety to progress your rank, develop your skills, build your foundation."

His voice carried weight despite remaining quiet.

"The world doesn’t wait for you to be ready. It doesn’t care about fairness or your feelings about how things should be. It just moves forward, and you either move with it or get left behind."

Luna took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm of emotions churning inside her chest.

The magnification made everything feel overwhelming, like drowning in feelings that weren’t entirely her own.

"You’ve become too calm about everything ever since the portal and..."

She trailed off, unable to finish.

’Ever since finding out about his family being exterminated.’

Damian understood what she wasn’t saying.

He’d heard versions of this concern from her multiple times over the past weeks.

"There’s a difference between accepting reality and being defeated by it."

His voice came out thoughtful, measured.

"I could rage against the injustice of what... happened. I could also resent Felix Onyx for only acknowledging you."

He looked at her directly.

"But anger without direction is just noise and rage without a plan is just pain wearing a different mask."

His hands remained in his pockets, posture relaxed despite the weight of his words.

"So I accept what I cannot change right now. I acknowledge the reality of where I stand. And I work toward the moment when reality bends to my will instead of the other way around."

Luna stared at him, her silver eyes wide.

The anger was still there, burning in her chest, but something else mixed with it now.

Understanding, maybe. Or just the crushing weight of knowing he was right even when she didn’t want him to be.

"You make it sound so simple."

Her voice came out small.

"It’s not simple."

Damian’s expression softened slightly.

"It’s just necessary."

****

They walked in silence toward the student council building, the massive structure rising against the night sky like a monument to Academy authority.

Lights were still on inside despite the late hour.

The main doors opened before they reached them.

Robert Gilligan stood in the entrance, his butler’s uniform immaculate as always, gray hair perfectly combed, weathered face showing genuine warmth as his eyes found Damian.

"Young Sir Damian."

The old man’s voice carried respect and affection.

"Welcome back. We’ve missed your presence these past weeks."