Rumors.
The Aetherial Institute survived on them.
Thrived on them.
Fed upon them.
Within a single day, news could spread from one dormitory to another.
Within two days, it could reach every student.
Within a week, even instructors would hear distorted versions of it.
And unfortunately for Kel—
Today's rumor involved him.
Not the Leviathan incident.
Not the Azure Horizon Guild.
Not the Divine Spoon Art.
Not even the Sovereign's Orbit Sword Art.
No.
Today's discussion was somehow much more serious.
Aedon Flinth slept on Luna's shoulder.
Or at least.
That was how the story had already evolved.
The truth was that Kel's exhausted head had accidentally fallen onto Luna's shoulder for several seconds.
The rumor version?
According to certain witnesses.
They spent half the lecture cuddling.
According to others.
They were secretly dating.
According to especially creative storytellers.
They were already planning marriage.
Inside the academy.
Civilization was clearly doomed.
Meanwhile.
The students themselves discussed the matter extensively.
Especially the boys.
Because from their perspective—
Nothing made sense.
Absolutely nothing.
Inside one dormitory common room.
Several first-year male students gathered around a table.
Their expressions were grave.
As though discussing military strategy.
Or perhaps a national crisis.
One boy slammed both hands onto the table.
"I don't understand!"
Another nodded immediately.
"Neither do I!"
A third looked devastated.
"What does he even have?"
Silence followed.
Everyone knew exactly who they were discussing.
Aedon Flinth.
The silver-haired explorer.
The student of Nameless.
The person who casually jumped into Leviathan territory.
The guy who somehow made Luna agree to watch for professors while he slept.
The injustice felt overwhelming.
One student sighed.
"Maybe it's because he's handsome."
Another instantly objected.
"I'm handsome too."
The room became silent.
Then everyone looked at him.
"..."
"..."
"..."
The student coughed awkwardly.
"Moderately handsome."
Nobody disagreed.
Eventually.
Another boy spoke.
"No."
A pause.
"It's confidence."
The others looked toward him.
The boy leaned back.
"When Luna rejected my request for notes last week, I almost cried."
Several nodded sympathetically.
The trauma was understandable.
The boy continued.
"Aedon literally fell asleep on her shoulder."
Silence.
"Then apologized."
More silence.
"Then slept on the desk."
Absolute silence.
The group slowly realized something.
Aedon never acted differently around Luna.
Not nervous.
Not awkward.
Not overly polite.
Normal.
Completely normal.
As though speaking to another human being.
Which somehow made him seem more dangerous.
Meanwhile.
Inside the girls' dormitory.
The discussion was equally intense.
Perhaps even worse.
A group of female students gathered around a large table.
Tea cups rested nearby.
Books remained forgotten.
Because more important matters required attention.
Specifically—
Luna.
One girl leaned forward dramatically.
"So?"
Luna blinked.
"So what?"
Several girls groaned.
"Don't act innocent."
Another nodded.
"We want details."
Luna looked genuinely confused.
"What details?"
The girls exchanged glances.
Then collectively realized something.
Luna genuinely didn't understand.
One girl sighed.
"You and Aedon."
Luna nearly dropped her teacup.
Instantly.
Her face turned red.
The surrounding girls immediately became excited.
Very excited.
"Look!"
"She's blushing!"
"Definitely suspicious!"
Luna covered her face.
"There is nothing!"
The girls didn't believe her.
Mostly because people shouting there is nothing usually suggested there was something.
Unfortunately.
In this case.
There really was nothing.
Another girl asked.
"Then why did you help him?"
Luna paused.
The answer seemed obvious to her.
"He looked tired."
Silence followed.
The girls stared.
Luna continued.
"He couldn't keep his eyes open."
Another pause.
"And the lecture wasn't important for him."
The girls blinked.
"..."
"..."
"..."
One girl finally sighed.
"You really don't understand, do you?"
Luna frowned.
"Understand what?"
Nobody knew how to explain.
Meanwhile.
Elsewhere in the academy.
Different discussions occurred.
Not everyone focused on romance.
Some focused on Kel himself.
Particularly students who had witnessed the Leviathan incident.
Inside a training courtyard.
Several combat students gathered after practice.
One swordsman cleaned his blade.
Then spoke.
"Forget Luna."
A pause.
"What I don't understand is Aedon."
The others nodded.
The discussion immediately shifted.
"He jumps into Leviathan territory."
"Returns alive."
"Commands guild members."
"Knows Nameless."
"Uses legendary techniques."
"Then sleeps in class."
Silence followed.
The contradiction felt overwhelming.
One student finally voiced everyone's thoughts.
"What kind of person is he?"
Nobody knew.
Because Aedon Flinth didn't fit into any category.
Nobles?
No.
Commoners?
No.
Warriors?
Partially.
Scholars?
Partially.
Explorers?
Definitely.
Yet even that didn't fully explain him.
The mystery itself became a topic.
Inside another classroom.
Students debated theories.
"He must be hiding something."
"Everyone is hiding something."
"Not this much."
A pause.
"What if he's secretly from a major noble family?"
Another student shook his head.
"Impossible."
"Why?"
"No noble would jump into Leviathan territory."
Fair point.
Very fair point.
Meanwhile.
Unknown to everyone.
The subject of all these discussions remained completely unaware.
Or more accurately—
He didn't care.
Kel currently sat beneath a large tree.
Reading.
Naturally.
Inside his mind—
Seiren laughed endlessly.
"You're famous."
"Unfortunately."
"The girls are discussing you."
"I don't care."
"The boys are discussing you."
"I care even less."
The Guardian smiled.
Then added one final observation.
"Everyone thinks you're mysterious."
Kel turned a page.
"Good."
Seiren blinked.
"Good?"
The silver-haired youth nodded.
"People stop investigating when they label something mysterious."
The Guardian froze.
Then immediately understood.
Most people didn't pursue mysteries.
They admired them.
Gossiped about them.
Created stories around them.
Then moved on.
Aedon Flinth becoming "that mysterious guy" actually protected Kel.
The realization made Seiren laugh.
"You're using rumors as camouflage."
"People are predictable."
The Guardian shook her head.
Sometimes she genuinely wondered if Kel's brain worked differently from everyone else.
Meanwhile.
Across the academy.
Rumors continued spreading.
Luna and Aedon.
The Leviathan incident.
The sleeping lecture.
The mysterious explorer.
Each story growing larger with every retelling.
And somewhere in the middle of those endless rumors—
The actual truth quietly disappeared.
Which suited Kel perfectly.
Because while the academy discussed romance and gossip—
His thoughts remained focused elsewhere.
On the missing Leviathans.
On the ancient myth.
On the mysterious watcher beyond the sea.
And on the investigation waiting for him after sunset.
The academy believed it had discovered Aedon Flinth's greatest secret.
In reality.
Nobody had even reached the first page.