Chapter 372: Astrid Lunayeva Terranova

"The what?" Regan’s tone was disbelieving. "You’re telling me there’s an anti-demi-human organization inside the academy? And it’s officially recognized?"

Adam nodded grimly. "It sounds bad, I know. But they’re not just a hate group, at least not in name. They have authority. Legal authority."

Regan folded his arms. "Authority over what?"

Adam exhaled, like someone about to open a very complicated book.

"They’re tied directly to Interdimensional Travel. They’re responsible for monitoring and regulating immigration between both worlds—the human realm and the otherworld."

"Technically, their jurisdiction covers illegal crossings, rogue portals, and any demi-human who comes here without permission."

Regan frowned deeply, trying to follow. "So you’re saying they’re basically...border patrol?"

"In a sense, yes." Adam replied. "You see, when demi-humans want to live here, they have to go through a legal process—background checks, certifications, migration clearance, all that."

"But not everyone follows those rules."

"Some use stray portals, others slip through cracks in the barriers, and that’s where this group steps in."

"They find those ’stragglers,’ as they call them..." Adam continued. "...and deport them back to their original world. That’s their main duty. To them, it’s not racism—it’s law enforcement. But..."

He hesitated.

"...as you can see, their attitude goes far beyond that since anyone who joins this specific branch has a certain grudge against Otherworldly Beings."

Regan rubbed his temple, already feeling a headache.

"So you’re telling me a student organization, a bunch of kids are responsible for handling cross-dimensional deportations?"

"Not entirely." Adam said quickly. "They’re a branch, sir. The student Chapter of a much larger network."

"The adult members operate outside the academy, but the student division is considered the training ground for the next generation of enforcers."

Regan frowned deeply, his voice dripping with disbelief.

"And the academy allows that? A deportation unit full of young adults? That’s insane."

"It’s...complicated." Adam shrugged helplessly. "You see, they’re all Blessed. Strong ones at that. Because of that, from an early age, they were trained for responsibility, for leadership."

"Their abilities make them capable of things far beyond normal adults. So, in a way, it’d be a waste not to use them earlier."

Regan looked back toward the group, his expression torn between anger and disbelief.

"I don’t care how powerful they are, this is ridiculous. They’re still students."

"And no amount of authority gives them the right to stand here, yelling racial slurs at their classmates."

Adam sighed. "You’re not wrong. Most of us students feel the same. But...there’s more."

Regan glanced at him warily. "More?"

Adam nodded. "They aren’t just powerful because of their position, sir. They’re powerful because of who leads them."

Regan narrowed his eyes. "Who?"

Adam took a deep breath, lowering his voice.

"The leader of that group—she’s not just any noble’s daughter. She’s not royalty, not even from a federation family."

"Then who the hell is she?"

"She’s..." Adam hesitated, then said it softly. "The daughter of the Battle Angel herself."

Regan froze. "...What?"

Adam met his gaze, his tone dead serious.

"Yes, sir. The daughter of Lady Nadia. The Celestial Maiden..."

"...the one who ended the War of Realms."

Hearing this shocking revelation, Regan’s brain simply refused to process it.

His mouth opened slightly, but no words came out.

Slowly, he turned his head, looking back up at the glowing sky—at the ethereal girl floating above everyone else.

Her white hair shimmered like frost, her seven tails rippling gently in the air, her pale blue eyes colder than winter.

"That girl..." Regan whispered. "You mean she’s—"

Adam nodded.

"Yes. That’s her. The daughter of Lady Nadia...

"...Astrid Lunayeva Terranova..."

"...And just like her mother, she’s one of the few SSS-class Blessed in the world and the wielder of the blessing: Heavenly Pact: The Fox Who Stole Creation Itself...."

"...A prodigy who’s expected to surpass even her mother someday."

Regan felt his throat go dry.

The weight of her presence hit him again—that unnatural calm, the cold authority in her eyes, the power that made the air itself bend around her.

He took a step back unconsciously, shaking his head.

"A SSS-class powerhouse. No wonder...I could feel it. Just looking at her made my knees weak."

"That’s Lady Astrid for you."

Adam gave a wry smile.

"She’s beautiful, brilliant, and terrifying—all at once."

Regan stared at Astrid for a moment before he let out a humorless laugh.

"You know, when I took this job, I thought I’d be dealing with late homework and skipping practice—not international relations and Celestial Bloodlines."

Adam grinned weakly as he said,

"Welcome to Solaria Academy, sir. The world’s most peaceful war zone."

Regan opened his mouth, ready to throw in a tired joke about asking for a raise for all the mental stress he’s been through—

But before he could say anything, a sudden thought hit him like a slap.

His brows knitted together, his joking tone vanishing entirely.

"Wait...hold on. Hold on, Adam."

Adam blinked, caught off guard. "Sir?"

"This doesn’t make sense."

Regan said, his voice sharper now.

"You’re telling me that girl—that one floating up there with seven damn tails—is the daughter of Lady Nadia? The Lady Nadia?"

Adam nodded cautiously. "Yes, sir. The Celestial Maiden herself."

Regan rubbed his bald head, confusion all over his face.

"But that’s impossible." He finally said. "After all, Lady Nadia is literally the embodiment of peace between the two worlds!"

"She’s the one who brokered every treaty, every accord, every damn truce between humans and the otherworlders! Both realms trust her completely."

"She’s the reason we even have cooperation instead of chaos!"

He gestured toward the sky, toward the glowing tails flicking lazily behind Astrid.

"If not for her, those two worlds would still be tearing each other apart! Everyone knows that!"

"She’s the reason kids from both sides can study here in peace, the reason this academy even exists!"

Adam stayed silent, unsure what to say.

Regan continued, incredulous.

"So how in the name of sanity is that girl her daughter?"

He said, pointing straight at Astrid.

"Look at her! Her mother is out there preaching harmony, love, interdimensional unity and her daughter’s up there leading a bloody anti-demi-human alliance?"

"It’s like saying the sun gave birth to darkness!"

His voice lowered, full of disbelief.

"They’re complete opposites, Adam. Lady Nadia’s dream was a world where both races coexisted. But this girl..."

He gestured again at Astrid, who was watching her subordinates argue with a cold, silent calm.

" ...she’s just standing there letting her people spit racist garbage, calling demi-humans animals, telling them to ’go back home.’ She’s not even stopping them! It’s like she agrees with it."

"Hell, she’s practically encouraging it!"

Adam bit his lip, glancing nervously at the humans on the field.

"Sir, please keep your voice down..."

But Regan kept going, his outrage unstoppable.

"If she really didn’t agree with it, she’d have shut it down immediately. You can’t tell me she’s unaware of what they’re saying. She’s just standing there, silent, calm like she believes it."

He shook his head, utterly baffled.

"How can Lady Nadia’s own daughter hate demi-humans when her mother spent her entire life trying to unite both worlds?"

Adam hesitated, then sighed.

"Honestly, sir...nobody knows."

Regan blinked. "Nobody?"

Adam shook his head.

"Not even the higher councils, or the Federation. It’s...personal, I guess. A mystery. Whatever happened between Lady Nadia and her daughter—it’s not public. No one talks about it, no one dares to ask."

He paused, then added quietly.

"But from what I’ve heard, it’s true that Lady Astrid doesn’t like demi-humans at all."

"Legal, illegal—doesn’t matter. She’s cold toward them, and she’s made it clear she’d rather the two worlds stay completely separate. She’s even argued for closing the portals permanently."

Regan’s jaw dropped slightly. "You’re serious?"

Adam nodded grimly. "She honestly believes the world would be better off if humans and demi-humans lived apart forever."

Regan turned back toward Astrid, but instead of looking at her face, his eyes caught on her tails—those elegant, bushy, glowing white tails swaying behind her.

He couldn’t help but huff out a small laugh.

"That’s rich." He muttered.

Adam glanced at him warily. "Sir?"

"I mean..." Regan said, rubbing his chin. "..it’s a bit funny, isn’t it? Someone who supposedly hates demi-humans looking more demi-human than the ones she hates."

"Look at her—those seven fluffy tails! Most otherworldly beings I’ve seen only have one!"

"But she has seven! What a joke!"

But the moment he uttered these words, Adam’s face instantly went pale.

"Sir, please." He whispered urgently, tugging on Regan’s sleeve. "Don’t. Don’t say that out loud."

Regan blinked. "What? Why not?"

Adam’s voice dropped to a panicked whisper.

"Because Lady Astrid is extremely sensitive about her tails. You’re not supposed to mention them. Ever."

"What?"

"I’m serious!" Adam said, voice trembling slightly. "There are stories—real ones—about what happened to students who joked about it."

"One boy said she looked ’more fox than human.’ So, she broke thirty-four of his bones. And then he got expelled the next day."

Regan stared at him, horrified. "You’re joking."

Adam shook his head quickly. "I wish I was. No one even saw her move—just a blur, and the boy was in the hospital for months. And even though his family had royal blood in them, they could do nothing about it."

Regan’s eyes widened. "Good gods..."

"So please." Adam begged softly. "Don’t mention her tails, or her ears, or anything about her appearance. She hates being compared to demi-humans."

"And if she hears you say it, sir...she’ll not only destroy you—she’ll destroy your career. You’ll never work in any school or gym again."

Regan gulped audibly, instinctively lowering his voice.

"Noted. Lips sealed."

But even as he said that, Regan’s mind was racing, filled with unanswered questions.

’What happened to her?’ He thought. ’What could make someone born from peace turn into this?’

He wanted to know—but he also knew this was far, far above his pay grade.

Whatever truth lay between Lady Nadia and her daughter was buried deep, wrapped in politics and power he’d never understand.

So he shook his head, forcing himself back to reality.

"Fine." He muttered. "Not my business. I’ll leave the cosmic family drama to the gods."

He then frowned and looked toward the pitch again—this time at the small dragon girl floating opposite Astrid, her crimson eyes blazing as she bared her fangs.

"Alright." He said finally, hands on his hips. "Then answer me this, Adam—who the hell is that little firecracker over there hissing like a cat at your precious Lady Astrid?"

"What’s her deal and why are these two even fighting in the first place?"