Author Of Worlds: I Reincarnated Into My Novel As A Random Character
Chapter 32: Rewards Of Victory...

Chapter 32: Rewards Of Victory...

Time passed swiftly, and before long, the group of students had faced each other once more.

Among the twenty-eight students who stood in the courtyard was Matthew, who remained calm and composed, his silver hair swaying gently in the breeze.

Grati continued to glance at him occasionally, the anger on his face refusing to fade.

By his side, surprisingly, was Sylvia.

Despite the odds and her ability being restricted by the system, she had still managed to defeat her opponent.

Leo, however, stood among the crowd of losers, his face dark and brooding.

He had not been so fortunate.

Internally, Leo was still cursing the system. Losing the Origin Core was a massive blow, something he could not easily recover from.

Yet the system didn’t seem to understand that, no matter how much he fumed.

Silas slowly made his way toward Matthew and the others, his tall figure radiating authority.

His presence alone was enough to silence the crowd.

When he reached them, he began to speak.

"You have all done well, displaying your abilities to the fullest. Congratulations on emerging victorious."

As his words settled in the air, his hand shimmered, and a glowing sphere of pure white light appeared in his palm.

Origin Core.

Everyone around him inhaled sharply.

To some of them, what Silas had said about the sphere still seemed unbelievable.

"You. Come over here," Silas said, pointing toward a young man from the Elemental Origin Path.

The young man stepped forward quickly, his expression full of restrained excitement, and took the Origin Core from Silas’s hand.

Holding it tightly, he could already imagine his strength increasing significantly.

Although it wouldn’t be enough to elevate him to Rank 8, it would still raise his position within the academy’s hierarchy.

After that, Silas’s hand shimmered again, and another object materialized on his open palm.

Matthew’s eyes immediately sharpened as he saw the item.

It was a small piece of glowing metal, seemingly harmless and even elegant.

But Matthew knew better.

He knew exactly what it was.

This was the device the Dragon Worshippers used to track promising talents within the academy, so they could eliminate them early.

Silas held the object out calmly, his expression composed.

"This is a unique treasure. Hold it dearly. It may provide unexpected benefits," he said with a smooth, unwavering voice.

A lie.

Matthew sneered inwardly, but his expression remained unchanged.

No one would suspect a thing.

After all, who would ever imagine that their respected instructor was a terrifying Dragon Worshipper?

One by one, Silas called the students forward, handing out the two items—the Origin Core and the glowing metal.

Eventually, it was Matthew’s turn.

He knew he could not refuse the gifts. Doing so might raise suspicion and alert Silas.

So he exhaled lightly and walked forward, his steps steady and unhurried.

As he reached Silas, he felt an invisible pressure descend upon him.

The air grew heavier, almost suffocating.

Matthew tensed slightly.

It felt like Silas might crush him on the spot.

But that was just the overwhelming presence of a Rank 8 Esper.

The gap between Rank 9 and Rank 8 was vast.

One could not simply leap across it.

Only the protagonists of novels could achieve such feats.

Matthew believed he would become such a person.

His Uncontrollable Decay had already proven it carried limitless potential.

When Silas handed him the Origin Core, Matthew took a deep breath.

The sphere was smooth, cold, and surprisingly heavy in his hand.

He then accepted the metallic object that contained the hidden tracking chip.

The moment his fingers closed around it, he felt an eerie sensation.

As if unseen eyes were already watching him.

Still, there was no change in his expression.

He thanked Silas with a warm, polite smile.

After a while, everything was concluded.

Silas gave a final speech, then dismissed the students for the day.

He still needed to compile the information and send it to the higher-ups, who would determine which students would be sent to participate in the upcoming invasion.

Matthew’s gaze drifted across the crowd and landed on a student who was about to walk away from the group.

He stepped forward and called out to the student.

"Excuse me. Do you know where the infirmary is?"

Since Axel had been injured earlier, that was the most likely place he had been taken to.

Matthew wanted to check on his condition.

The young lady he had spoken to froze for a moment.

The image of Matthew’s brutal display during the duel was still fresh in her mind.

"You. Ah... yes, it’s that way," she replied, her voice trembling slightly.

"After you reach there, head toward your left. You should see a cluster of flowers. That’s where the infirmary is. Teacher Dora likes to keep flowers outside."

Matthew nodded at her explanation.

From the moment she began speaking, he had already pictured the location in his mind.

After all, he had created this world.

He knew most places well enough, though not their exact locations.

He only needed direction.

"Thanks for the information," Matthew said with a genuine smile, then began to walk away.

"No... no need," the young woman murmured quietly as she watched him disappear into the distance.

...

Following her instructions, Matthew eventually arrived at the infirmary.

It was a large, two-storey building surrounded by a small garden of brightly colored flowers.

The air felt cool and refreshing.

Stepping inside, he encountered a few students lingering in the hallways.

He glanced at them briefly but made his way straight to the receptionist’s desk.

"I’m here to see Axel. He’s a young man with blond hair. He was brought in a few hours ago," Matthew said.

Behind the desk sat a beautiful lady with long, dark blue hair.

Her kind smile accentuated the soft dimples on her cheeks.

Hearing Matthew’s request, she nodded and reached for the tablet in front of her.

Her fingers moved swiftly across the screen.

"Axel? Yes, he’s in Ward 419," she said, looking up at him.

Matthew blinked.

He had no idea where that was.

The receptionist giggled softly, then explained.

"Oh, that’s on the second floor. Take the stairs to your left. When you reach the top, keep walking. You’ll find a row of rooms. Ward 419 is not far from the stairs."

She gave him an apologetic smile.

She clearly wanted to help him further but had other students waiting behind.

Matthew simply nodded and made his way toward the staircase.

Soon, he arrived at the silver door that bore the inscription Ward 419 carved clearly into its surface.

He reached for the doorknob and twisted it open.

The moment he stepped inside, his eyes widened.

He froze, stunned by what he saw.

"You..."