Since the infirmary had cleared him, and Alec had said himself that he was fine, he was asked to leave to make space for warrior students who had injured themselves during training. But he didn't have to join classes for the day, at least.
He could return to the dorms and relax like nothing weighed on his mind if he wished. Unfortunately, his mind was burdened with heavy thoughts. As he returned to his shared room, one of those heavy thoughts rose to the front.
What was he supposed to do about Nicholas?
Alec felt a surge of emotion well up within him, none of them positive.
Nicholas might not have had much of a choice, but he had still helped abduct Alec. He was an accessory to attempted murder. A would-be murderer if the situation had turned out differently.
It was most likely under coercion, though…
Alec wrapped his fingers around the thumb on the other hand hard enough to make him feel pain. It helped clear his mind slightly.
The problem wasn't what Nicholas had done. It was that he had been forced to do it. If they could do something about Benjamin's power over Nicholas, the problem would be solved.
However, Alec's frown deepened as soon as he stepped into their room and looked toward Nicholas' side. All of his things were packed. Well, almost. Nicholas was putting down the last couple of trinkets on his desk into a suitcase when he froze like a statue.
"Not moving won't make you invisible." Alec closed the door behind him and crossed his arms while leaning against it, sealing the room's only exit.
"A-alec…! I didn't mean to— I'm sorry— They forced me to—" Nicholas' lips flapped like a hummingbird's wings, so Alec put up a hand to silence him.
"Sit." He gestured at Nicholas' bed.
Nicholas gulped but obeyed. He didn't dare to look Alec in the eyes.
"I-if you want me to testify…I'm sorry, but I can't do that. As soon as I do, I become a walking corpse."
"There's no need." Alec sighed. "Officially, I sleepwalked. The only ones who know the truth are you, me, and Benjamin's side. This matter is being put to rest like it never happened."
"Oh…"
"So, why are you planning to leave? Guilt?"
Nicholas flinched at Alec's direct words, but he didn't deny it.
"There's no need for that. I'm sure you must have worked hard to get here. Stay."
Instead of answering, Nicholas fiddled with the trinket that Alec now realized was a bracelet. It looked homemade.
"If you're scared of Benjamin, don't be. I'll talk to him. I can just goad him into not laying a hand on you."
"It's not me I'm worried about!" He said in a surprisingly shrill voice.
"He has my family!"
"Like in the basement?"
Nicholas gave Alec a sharp look.
"...The orphanage that raised me relies on the Mason family's donations."
"Ah." Alec nodded in understanding. If Nicholas opposed Benjamin, Benjamin would put a stop to those donations, and the orphanage would go under, taking all the kids with it. The kids Benjamin had grown up with would starve or freeze to death if they didn't find a home.
"He's one hell of a coward, that guy."
"..." Nicholas didn't refute Alec's claim.
"I'll talk to him, and I'll let you know how it goes. If I mess up, it might be better for you to leave to try and save your orphanage. If I succeed, you will have no reason to flee."
"Alright…"
"Do you think Benjamin cares about being a man?"
"What?"
***
After convincing Nicholas to stay at least a couple of days until he got a chance to talk to Benjamin again, Alec plopped down on his bed.
He had slept most of the day already, but passing out from exhaustion didn't lead to the best rest, so he was still tired. However, he wasn't done for the day.
He had overdrawn his mana to cast that Pebbleshot. If he were unlucky, he had incurred permanent injuries. But the nurse had told him that they hadn't noticed anything.
That probably meant he was fine.
Still, he had to check for himself.
Alec closed his eyes and sank his consciousness into his body.
Since he hadn't had time to condense aether after he emptied his mana, he was expecting his body to be empty. At most, he could have passively recovered maybe one bubble of formless mana or something.
That was not reality.
Alec barely kept himself from exclaiming in surprise.
He had more mana than before he cast Pebbleshot. Half a dozen large bubbles of formless mana drifted around his body like clouds.
'Woah.'
Alec realized what was going on.
There was only one answer.
[Gluttony] had turned the monster into more than just food in his belly. His skill had nourished not just the physical aspects of his body. It had taken the monster's mana and given it to him.
'I hate to admit it, but eating monsters is going to be a shortcut to strength if I don't become one.' Alec sighed.
It seemed he didn't have a choice. Well, he didn't before, but now he had even less of a choice. If he wanted to become strong enough to save the world from whatever threatened its extinction, eating monsters would help.
'I'm going to need help.'
***
The next day, Alec woke up early and headed to the training grounds in the twilight before dawn. He was filled with energy for some reason.
He was even early enough to catch Basra and Hugh in their morning training. He tagged along as best he could before breakfast with Basra and Moira. He asked them if it would be okay to bring Reina to the greenhouse for dinner. He had something to talk about with them.
He got the OK.
Then, it was time for class. His fellow students looked at him curiously to the point where the teacher had to repeatedly ask them to focus. Wilcox could only sigh. He understood them.
Sleepwalking wasn't strange. Entering the forest, whether out of curiosity or by accident, wasn't rare. Coming back alive and in one piece was what stood out. How had Alec done it?
They were all silently hoping that Taryeon could pry it out of him during lunch.
Unfortunately, Alec had other plans.
Lunch was a guaranteed time during which Alec could get Benjamin's attention.