Miss Leslie retrieved the new spells, Frigid Hunger and Eternal Cradle, handling them to Noah.

He took them absentmindedly, putting them in his pocket. His mind was turning Miss Leslie's words over, trying to figure out what they meant.

Was this related to Devour's drawback? When he'd taken Devour a few months ago, the description had said that prolonged use could attract the attention of abyssal entities. Was that part of the price of using the spell?

"So," Miss Leslie said with a smile, breaking him out of his stupor, "what next, Mr. Webb?"

Noah blinked, focusing his attention back on her. "Ah, yes. Let's do... Decay."

"Decay?" Miss Leslie frowned, going through the catalog. "Unfortunately, we do not have any spells within that affinity."

She looked up at Noah. "It is a very rare affinity, and very few students ever come with such an affinity, so we currently do not have any spells for it. The one we had available was granted to Miss Juniper Rowe when she came to redeem a spell with her Gold-tier spell token."

Noah blinked, his brain stuttering. Juniper Rowe...

He felt a tightness in his chest, like a pin had been stuck in it. This was the first time he was hearing the name clearly since he got out of jail.

He remembered her clearly. That bright smile. Those beautiful blue eyes. She didn't deserve to die like that.

"Me. Webb?"

Noah blinked as Miss Leslie's voice penetrated his consciousness. That was when he realized he'd had his fists clenched so tight, one of his nails had punctured his arms.

He breathed deeply, trying to calm himself.

Whoever has killed Juniper had also framed him for her death. He wouldn't allow that injustice to go unpunished. He'll find them wherever they go, and follow them to the ends of the earth. And they'll pay.

He cleared his throat, looking up. "You were saying?"

"The final affinity." Miss Leslie said after a small pause, eyeing him to make sure he was okay. "These are the spells we have for the Darkness affinity."

Noah nodded, turning the screen to face him. He scrolled through the options, shaking his head. When he got to the B-rank section, he saw familiar names, spells he hadn't taken when he'd chosen Devour.

[Veil of the Forgotten - B-rank]

[Shrouds the caster in a cursed veil of darkness that erases the memory of their presence from targets exposed to it for more than ten seconds. Time of exposure can be reduced by physical contact. Only affects targets of equal or lower mental resistance than the caster's magic control level.]

Just like before, he didn't really need this. He had no reason to tamper with people's memories. Especially since he wanted them to know it was him who killed them. He won't deny himself of seeing the expression on their face when they realized who stuck the knife into their heart.

He moved on to the next spell.

[Shadow March - B-rank]

[The caster merges with surrounding shadows, allowing for near-invisible movement within a large radius. Greatly reduces presence and physical sound. Can be used in combat to reposition or escape. Loses effect in bright environments or under radiant-type spells.]

Another spell he didn't need. Especially with the loss of effect in bright environments. He'd rather just sneak around like a normal rat. Besides, he already had Null Stride for mobility.

He scrolled upwards, his brows rising at the two A-rank spells on display.

[Aegis of Hades - A-rank]

[Draws in all nearby darkness, weaving them into a strong, physical suit of armor capable of boosting the caster's physical stats. The armor can also erupt in spikes of darkness at the caster's command.]

Noah blinked, his eyes fixed on the description. With Devour and this aegis working in tandem, he would slowly become unstoppable.

His eyes moved on to the second spell.

[King's Mantle - A-rank]

[Shadows rise behind the caster like a throne, projecting an aura of authority. Allies feel bolstered by the aura, while enemies are crushed by oppressive gravity and overwhelming dread.]

He tilted his head, wondering how this spell was A-rank. He knew its effect would be strong, but that was just what it was. A particularly strong killing intent that his allies wouldn't be able to feel.

But he had to admit that it had its own advantages.

He exhaled, leaning back on his chair. He already had four new spells to learn. How many more should he add to it?

'None of the B-rank are worth the trouble to learn them, so they're out. Aegis of Hades is definitely in, but what should I do with King's Mantle?'

The problem he had with the spell was its effect. He loved the idea of the oppressive aura, but not when it was created by a spell.

He wanted to be able to stand, and strike fear into the hearts of his enemies, just by being himself. That, to him, was far better than having to rely on a spell and waste mana to do so.

He looked up at Miss Leslie, his decision made. "I'll take only Aegis of Hades."

"Good choice." She smiled at him, turning the screen back to face herself.

Tapping away at it, the dark rift appeared on its surface. Dipping her hand in, it emerged a second later, clutching the spell parchment. She placed it on the table. "Here you go."

Noah slowly picked up the parchment, studying it. The paper was a pure white similar to freshly fallen snow, and the spell formation sat atop it, burning with a darkness so deep, it was practically its own color.

With a nod, he tucked it into his pocket. Four new high ranking spells. All gotten for free. With them, he should be able to face any opponent that comes before him with confidence.

"Is that all?" Miss Leslie asked.

"Yes." Noah nodded, standing up. "That's all. For now."

"Very well," she smiled. "I shall look forward to your next visit."

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