Black Phoenix Heir

Chapter 203: Chapter 203 — Too Many Coincidences

Chapter 203 — Too Many Coincidences

Class was almost over.

Victor sat looking at the board as Elder Benton finished his lecture.

For once, Victor had actually learned something he didn’t already know.

It was a small trick involving the fusion process.

According to Benton, if an alchemist pressurized their Soul Power before beginning the fusion, it helped the different essences connect more smoothly. Instead of trying to control everything after the essences started coming together, the compressed Soul Power acted like a binding force from the beginning.

Almost like glue.

Victor had never tried that before.

He’d learned plenty about fusion from the Library, but this was a small detail he’d either missed or simply hadn’t gotten around to learning yet.

Victor smiled.

He could actually use this.

At the front of the room, Benton’s eyes briefly moved toward him.

It was probably the first time Victor had looked genuinely interested during one of his lectures.

Benton didn’t comment.

He simply turned back toward the board.

”For next week’s class, I expect everyone to practice the Barrier Potion.”

A few students immediately started paying closer attention.

”It’s not the easiest potion to make. I would consider it mildly difficult for a Tier One alchemist.”

Benton put down what he was holding and faced the class.

”But by next week, I expect everyone here to have practiced enough that when we attempt it in class, you’ll be able to make it.”

He paused.

”And I will know if you’ve practiced.”

His eyes moved directly toward Victor.

Victor stared back at him.

Man, why does he always have to look at me?

Benton was already suspicious of him. On top of that, he seemed to expect more from Victor than almost anyone else when it came to alchemy.

Then again, Victor had brought that on himself.

Showing Benton his flame control when he’d first returned to the Tower probably hadn’t been the best idea.

Ever since then, the man had stuck to him like hot glue.

Victor shook his head and looked to his right.

Grace was sitting beside him.

”What do you think, Grace? Think we’ll get through next week easily enough?”

Grace looked toward him.

”How do you feel about making the Barrier Potion?”

She smiled.

”I don’t think we’ll have any trouble. It’s not that difficult.”

Her eyes moved toward him.

”And with your flame control, it should be easy.”

Victor smiled back.

”Hey, you’re not too bad yourself. With everything you’ve shown so far, I’m guessing you already know how to make it.”

Grace laughed softly.

Victor paused.

That was the first time he’d actually heard her laugh.

Grace was usually pretty stoic. She smiled here and there, but she rarely talked more than she needed to.

It was nice seeing another side of her.

Unfortunately, she still looked terrible.

Whatever she’d done during her supposed training had taken a serious toll on her.

From Victor’s left, Zack leaned toward him.

”Victor, please tell me we can hang out today.”

Victor shook his head.

”Sorry. I can’t, Zack. I’ve got way too much going on right now, and I need to make it back to the apartment.”

He paused for a moment.

”I have somebody waiting for me.”

Zack looked at him.

”When are you going to introduce me to this person? I’ve been hearing about this mystery person for a while now.”

Nala chirped from Victor’s shoulder.

Then she chirped again, this time a little more aggressively in Zack’s direction.

Zack raised his hands.

”Okay, okay. I get it. You’re busy.”

Victor laughed.

”I promise, soon. Once everything I’m dealing with blows over, I’ll have a lot more time.”

”You better.”

Zack pointed at him.

”I’m holding you to it.”

He laughed and started gathering his things.

Victor stood as well.

Then he glanced to his right.

Grace was trying to stand.

And she was struggling.

She pushed herself up slowly, one hand braced against the desk. By the time she managed to get onto both feet, her legs were already trembling.

Victor watched her.

Grace took a step.

Her body suddenly pitched forward.

Victor moved without thinking.

He stepped toward her and caught her beneath the arm before she could hit the floor.

Then he froze.

Something about that felt familiar.

Very familiar.

Victor looked down at Grace.

His mind went back to yesterday.

Space Witch had nearly collapsed after using the Space Dragon, and Victor had caught her almost the exact same way.

Same position.

Same height.

Even the weight resting against his arm felt almost identical.

Victor didn’t move.

Grace looked up at him, clearly confused by the sudden attention.

But Victor’s thoughts were already moving.

Wait.

Space Witch had created an enormous dragon from spatial energy.

Grace had created an ice dragon against the Snake-Eyed Goliath.

That alone didn’t mean much. Plenty of techniques could take the shape of beasts.

But then there was Grace’s sword.

Victor’s gaze dropped toward it.

He’d seen her use spatial energy through that sword before.

Space Witch had carried a sword too.

Only hers had been covered in frost.

At the time, Victor had assumed Grace’s sword was responsible for her spatial abilities.

But what if he’d gotten that backward?

Grace could use ice through her body and space through her sword.

Space Witch had used space through her body and ice through her sword.

Victor’s eyes slowly returned to her face.

What if the sword wasn’t giving her either ability?

What if it was simply channeling whatever energy she put into it?

Or maybe Grace somehow possessed both.

Then there was her condition.

Yesterday, Space Witch had been lying beside him after nearly destroying herself with the Space Dragon.

Alondra had even said the technique could affect her for weeks.

Now, one day later, Grace could barely stand.

Victor’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Could it really be her?

He glanced toward Elder Benton.

Benton was watching them from the front of the room.

Their eyes met.

Victor looked back at Grace.

Same height.

Same build.

Same weight.

Similar dragon techniques.

Ice and spatial abilities appearing in opposite ways.

A familiar sword.

And Grace suddenly looked half-dead the day after Space Witch had nearly destroyed herself.

There were too many coincidences.

”Victor.”

Grace’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

He looked down at her.

”You’re staring at me.”

She shifted slightly against his arm.

”It’s making me uncomfortable.”

Victor blinked.

”And you can let me go now.”

Only then did Victor realize he’d been holding her the entire time.

”Right. Sorry.”

He let go.

Grace steadied herself.

”Thank you.”

Victor nodded.

But his mind didn’t stop.

His gaze flicked toward Benton once more.

Then back to Grace.

Grace noticed.

Victor could tell.

At this point, he didn’t care.

There was no way all of this was a coincidence.

Grace is Space Witch.

He was almost certain.

And if he was right, one mystery had just turned into something much bigger.

Space Witch had the upside-down alchemical flask tattooed across her back.

Samal’s symbol.

Which meant Grace was somehow connected to Samal.

She was also working with Benton.

Alondra knew Space Witch too.

So somehow, all three of them were connected.

Victor didn’t know how.

He didn’t know who else might be involved.

But for the first time, he felt like he was starting to see the outline of something that had been hidden from him.

The question was whether that something could be trusted.

Victor looked at Grace differently now.

If his guess was right, she’d saved his life yesterday.

He couldn’t ignore that.

But he couldn’t hand over his trust because someone had helped him once, either.

Rakasha’s warning surfaced in his mind.

Use discernment.

The Black Phoenix.

The Sanctuary.

Liam’s sword.

Some of those secrets could affect far more than Victor’s own life.

He needed to be careful.

Grace gathered her things and slowly made her way toward the door.

Just before leaving, she glanced back at him.

Only briefly.

Then she disappeared into the hallway.

Zack was already gone.

Now only Victor and Elder Benton remained in the classroom.

For a few seconds, neither spoke.

Victor looked toward him.

Benton looked back.

Victor thought about yesterday.

Space Witch arriving when she did.

Benton reaching the meat market moments later.

The way Benton had refused to explain the symbol.

And now Grace.

”Thank you for yesterday.”

He gave the elder a small nod, turned, and walked out.

The door closed behind him.

Benton remained where he was.

Silent.

Watching the closed door.