Chapter 731: [Final Event] [Blood Moon Festival] [13] End Game Talk With John

The fifth day of the Blood Moon Festival began earlier than most would have liked.

By dawn, the students of Trinity Eden Academy were already being roused from their beds, some dragging their feet while others tried in vain to fix their hair before stepping outside.

A lavish breakfast awaited them in the grand dining hall—a vast place lined with gleaming chandeliers and long oak tables capable of seating every student in the academy. The air was filled with the scent of freshly baked bread, sizzling meat, and sweet fruit preserves—all prepared by the finest cooks of Ravenia.

It should have been a peaceful morning.

It wasn’t.

"Damn, I didn’t get a single hour of sleep," Victor grumbled, yawning so wide it looked painful as he shuffled beside John.

"Why’s that?" A low, irritated growl from behind them asked. "Too busy thinking about all the girls you tricked, you bastard?"

The voice belonged to Rodolf, who was already scowling before breakfast had even started.

Victor turned to glare at him. "It’s your fault, dumbass! You don’t snore—you growl in your sleep. Tell him, John!"

John didn’t answer. His silence said more than words could, though the faint twitch in his jaw made it obvious he agreed. If it weren’t for the fact that fighting during the Festival events could land them in trouble, John probably would’ve punched Rodolf just to shut him up.

Rodolf folded his arms. "A trash like you doesn’t deserve to sleep."

"What?!" Victor frowned, bewildered. "What the hell did I even do to you?"

"Roda," John was the one replying..

Victor blinked, looking over at him. "What?"

John gave him a stern look. "He’s pissed because you started dating Roda. His niece."

Understanding dawned on Victor’s face immediately.

Ah. That explained the anger.

Rodolf just snorted, confirming it. His expression said everything: he wasn’t joking.

"Come on, man..." Victor sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "You know I love Roda. You can’t really hold that against me."

"Screw that! I’ll never accept it!" Rodolf shouted..

There was something raw in his tone—not just anger, but protectiveness. Ever since losing the Roda of the First Timeline, Rodolf had grown fiercely attached to the one before him now. He wasn’t about to let her be hurt again, no matter the cost.

Victor held up his hands. "Look, I get it. You’re overprotective—I’ve been there. I was the same when Alicia got engaged to Adrian, and he turned out to be a total asshole. If Percy ever ends up with someone like that, I’ll do the same thing you’re doing. Still... if she had to end up with someone, I’d rather it be Amael."

John’s expression darkened hearing that.

As if Edward’s endless ’gigolo aura’ wasn’t enough, now others were helping expand his harem too. Alicia, of all people—a Hidden Heroine, one of the key figures from the Third Game. John didn’t even know how to react anymore.

Before the tension could rise further, a voice interrupted them.

Speaking of her...

"What are you arguing about this early?"

They turned to see Roda herself, standing before them with her arms crossed, her bright yellow eyes narrowing at her uncle. It was obvious she’d caught the last part of the argument.

Rodolf’s mouth twitched. "Roda... huh, it’s nothing. Come on, let’s go eat."

But Roda wasn’t buying it. She glanced at Victor, then smiled faintly. "I’ll eat with Victor today."

Without waiting for permission, she took Victor’s arm and started leading him away, leaving Rodolf frozen in place.

"..."

Rodolf’s expression crumpled. It was as if his heart had been shattered right there in the middle of the hall.

John watched him in quiet pity. The sight reminded him too much of himself—of the bitter ache he felt whenever he saw Edward and Layla together, laughing like the rest of the world didn’t exist.

"You’ll get used to it," John said quietly, glancing at Rodolf.

It wasn’t in his nature to offer comfort but seeing Rodolf standing there, watching his niece walk away with a broken expression, even John felt compelled to say something. The words came out blunt, but honest.

He knew what it was like to carry that kind of sting.

Heartache had a way of humbling even the strongest men.

Thankfully, John had Amelia now. She was the one person who could keep his emotions steady, the gentle warmth that balanced out his cold exterior. Rodolf, in his own way, had Cylien, though their situation was... far from simple.

John couldn’t imagine the Elves of Eryon Plaidor—proud, ancient, and notoriously traditional agreeing to let their princess marry a werewolf, even if that werewolf happened to be a prince. For now, no one spoke openly about it. Rodolf and Cylien didn’t hide their relationship, but everyone around them seemed to pretend it didn’t exist.

And if it ever came down to Aerinwyn, the eldest sister and Heir of the throne... John already knew what her verdict would be. She would never allow her delicate, graceful little sister to marry someone she considered a savage, no matter his royal status.

"Hey," Rodolf muttered suddenly, pulling John out of his thoughts. His hands were shoved into his pockets as he scanned the corridor. "Where’s that moron?"

John blinked. "What moron?"

"Nyr," Rodolf said with a sigh. "Where is he?"

"Haven’t seen him."

Rodolf frowned, ears twitching in irritation. "Shouldn’t he be here by now? We were supposed to talk now, right? The game’s basically over—since Edward can’t be the final antagonist, nothing bad’s gonna happen... right?"

There was a hopeful tone in his voice, but John didn’t answer right away.

Things were looking calm, at least on the surface. Lazarus was imprisoned, and Edward Falkrona—who should have been the main antagonist—no longer existed in that role.

Everything seemed stable, almost too stable.

And yet, deep in his chest, there was that uneasy tug. A quiet whisper that something wasn’t quite right.

"Cyril," John said at last. "He’s still around."

Rodolf snorted, brushing the name off with a grin. "What, that guy? He’s just some mid-tier villain who eventually gets his ass kicked by Victor, isn’t he?"

John gave a small, humorless smile. He wished it were that simple.

He could still remember Cyril’s face when they met in the capital—that polite, almost disarmingly warm smile. There was something off about it, something that made John’s instincts scream danger.

"Just don’t drop your guard around him," John warned.

Rodolf stretched lazily. "Yeah, yeah. What about Earth, then?"

"I’ll deal with him if he tries anything," John said, his expression darkening.

A new voice chimed in before Rodolf could reply.

"Deal with who, exactly, John?"

John froze mid-step.

In front of him stood Amelia, arms crossed, pout already forming on her lips.

"I hope you’re not talking about another woman," she said, narrowing her eyes in suspicion.

John sighed. "Do you really take me for Edward?"

Rodolf burst out laughing. "Ah! That guy still hasn’t changed when it comes to women, huh? If anything, it got worse after Ephera dragged him out of his shell. Should have let him where he was."

"Ephera?" Amelia tilted her head, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "Who’s that?"

"You better not know about her," Rodolf said quickly.

"That’s rude, Rodolf," Cylien said with a reprimanding tone.

She had also arrived, her long silver hair glimmering faintly in the morning light as she approached.

"Oh—Cylien," Rodolf stammered, scratching the back of his neck as his cheeks reddened in embarrassment. "You’re here already? You’ll be late, you know."

"That’s our line!" Amelia shot back. "We came because you two were taking too long."

Before John could reply, Amelia looped her arm through his and started dragging him along toward the hall.

"Come on, before breakfast gets cold."

Behind them, Cylien smiled softly at Rodolf. "Rodolf?" She called gently.

Rodolf sighed, cheeks still pink as he trailed after her. "Yeah, yeah, I’m coming..."

...

...

After breakfast, the day officially began for the students of Trinity Eden Academy.

Once again, they were divided into smaller groups—a method the instructors claimed was to ’facilitate learning and exploration’, though everyone knew it was more to keep the massive crowd of prodigies somewhat manageable.

Still, the students drew attention wherever they went. Being from Trinity Eden carried a certain weight; they weren’t just students—they were the elites of Sancta Vedelia, young geniuses who had already become celebrities in their own right. Everywhere they passed, curious onlookers whispered and pointed, eager to catch even a glimpse of them.

Among them, Roda Moonfang walked with a quiet smile on her face, though the person she wanted to see most wasn’t there. Her group hadn’t been assigned with Victor, unfortunately.

Still, that soft smile refused to fade.

The conversation she’d had with him earlier kept replaying in her mind.

Now came the hard part: convincing her family.

Being the only princess of the Moonfang House, she was bound by more than just love. Her lineage carried the weight of history—and traditions that didn’t bend easily. Especially not for something as scandalous as becoming the second wife of someone.

"I’ll need my brother’s help," she muttered under her breath.

Rodolf, her ever-protective uncle, would never help—that much she knew. Her father, Brian, probably wouldn’t either. And her other uncle, Jefer... just thinking about talking to him made her stomach twist with nerves.

That left only one person who might actually listen.

Her eldest brother—Percy.

"Oh..."

Her thoughts were interrupted when she looked up—and froze.

"Elder brother?" She blurted out. "You’re not in my group, are you?"

Percy Moonfang stood there, with a calm expression.

"There’s something we need to talk about," he said.

Roda blinked, curiosity replacing her earlier nervousness. Her group had already started moving on, but she didn’t hesitate. After a brief glance toward them, she turned and followed Percy.

It was also the occasion to ask him to support her when she would speak to her grandmother.

***

Meanwhile, John walked alongside his own group, trailing a few steps behind as they made their way through the crowded plaza. Their destination was a monument dedicated to one of the kingdom’s greatest legends—Victor Quinn Raven, the Hero who had slain Behemoth centuries ago.

The monument was enormous, carved from pristine white stone that shimmered faintly under the morning sun. Around it, many animated projections replayed scenes of the ancient battle, his companions shouting words of courage, the monstrous Behemoth roaring as it fell.

Students gathered in awe, murmuring at the lifelike spectacle.

To John, though, it all felt like noise.

He stood silently in front of the statue, hands in his pockets. To anyone passing by, he might’ve looked like he was admiring it—but in truth, his thoughts were elsewhere.

"I didn’t take you for someone who appreciates statues," a voice said suddenly.

"...!"

The voice came from beside him. A figure stood there, cloaked in a dark hoodie with the hood drawn low. Even so, John recognized him instantly.

He turned his head slightly, his cold gaze narrowing as he met the man’s half-hidden smile.

"You..."

"Long time no see, John."

***

"Long time no see, John."

It felt like an eternity since I hadn’t seen him but it was only two weeks. Regardless, he hadn’t changed much.

John’s face went hard. "What... just—" He narrowed his eyes at me.

"How’ve things been with you and Amelia? You two finally had your first time, or what?" I asked.

"I’m going to kill you, Edward."

"I was only wondering if my future brother-in-law was still a virgin," I shrugged.

John snorted and looked away. Then he asked the question that had been boiling under his skin for the last two weeks. "Where the hell did you disappear to?"

"Too long to explain."

He glared. I ignored it. There was too much to say, and too little time.

"I see that I missed a lot while I was away," I said, regretfully. Part of me wanted to be there when Lazarus Raven was dragged off to prison; I would have liked to see that fall in person.

"We’re close to the end, you know that at least," John reminded me.

"I know." I nodded once.

"She’s getting married in two days," John said, then reminding me of Celeste’s marriage with Cyril.

"..."

"...And you’re just going to let her?" John asked me. "Let Cyril have her?"

I watched the crowd: students pointing at the projections, laughing at some spectacle.

"Cyril’s preparing something," I said. "I don’t know what yet. If he’s hiding it, it isn’t in the castle itself. Try to snoop around where he meets people—but be careful."

"Why not just beat the answers out of him?" John asked bluntly.

Because I’m getting banished in two days, I thought. Because making scenes now would only get me thrown out of Sancta Vedelia before I could see the last act with my own eyes. "If I act suspicious, the Heads will toss me sooner. I don’t want to risk being exiled before the final day. And even if we beat him senseless, he probably wouldn’t talk. He’s not that kind of idiot."

Rodolf snorted from somewhere behind us. "He looks pretty confident, though."

"Like all villains right before they get their asses handed to them," I said. There was a tiredness in my voice I couldn’t quite hide.

Then something more honest bubbled up. "John—there’s a real possibility we don’t make it out of this. If I die—tell Layla I love her. Tell her I’m sorry I couldn’t keep my promise."

He stared at me for a long beat.

"Do it yourself," he snapped at me as expected.

I laughed a bit. Still, I knew I could trust him to say it if the worst happened.

"Are you hiding anything else?" John asked suddenly.

"A lot," I nodded. "I’ll tell you when the Game ends."

He nudged. "Won’t take long."

I sighed then.

"It’s felt like an eternity since that ship dropped us here," I said, thinking back.

"After that stupid king shoved us into this mess, nothing had been straightforward," John snorted.

"You really pushed Walter back then huh? You sure you thought I’d kill him?" I asked, amused.

"Yeah. I would have done the same," John said.

My thoughts drifted to Elona for a moment, and my smile faltered. Since then, everything had changed. Some things for the better, some for worse.

"Stay on your guard," I told him, turning to go.

"Is that it?" John asked.

"What else do you want? I was supposed to be the Main Antagonist. That’s not happening anymore—everything’s in the dark. You’re the one closest to Cyril, so keep your eyes peeled."

"What are you doing until then?" He asked.

"I’m still a student." I shrugged it off with a faint smile. "So I’ll see around."

John’s gaze slipped to my arm and his expression shifted. "Good luck with that," he said, and then he turned away.

I followed his eyes and looked down.

A thorny vine curled around my forearm, its tiny barbs digging into skin.

Fuck.

Before I could do something, it yanked me back with brutal force.