Chapter 25. Knowledge is Power
Succubi Chapter 25. Knowledge is Power
The class continued, and as expected, House of Arcana didn’t do things the traditional way.
Most theory classes followed a strict curriculum—textbook lessons, structured exercises, and predictable lectures. But this? This was different.
Professor Valen didn’t just regurgitate textbook knowledge. He challenged us.
Instead of sticking to the rigid definitions of arcane principles, he pushed us to question them.
“What is mana?” he had asked at one point, scanning the room. “No, I don’t want the dictionary answer. What is it, to you?”
A few students offered different perspectives.
“A life force,” one said.
“A tool,” another added.
“A conduit for change,” someone else muttered.
Each answer was met with a nod, a brief moment of acknowledgment before Professor Valen prodded further.
“And yet,” he said, pacing slightly, “mana is not alive, nor is it inherently a tool. So why do we perceive it as such?”
A girl near the back hesitated before speaking. “Because… we give it purpose?”
Professor Valen smiled, eyes gleaming. “Now that is an interesting thought.”
The entire class felt like this—a constant cycle of questioning, answering, and rethinking what we thought we knew.
The air hummed with quiet concentration, the faint scratch of pens against paper filling the spaces between discussions. I could almost feel the energy in the room shifting, minds clicking into place as people started to see magic differently.
And honestly?
I was thriving.
This was what I loved—not just memorizing information, but understanding it.
Even though today’s topic was just fundamentals, the way we tackled them was off the books, deeper than the surface-level explanations most students would get.
By the time the class was nearing its end, I was hooked.
Then, just before we wrapped up, Professor Valen finally handed out our textbooks.
A massive tome, its cover bound in dark blue leather, silver runes etched across the surface, hummed faintly with residual magic as he placed it on my desk.
The weight of it was satisfying in my hands, the pages thick.
“Read the first three chapters before next class,” Professor Valen instructed. “And remember—don’t just absorb what’s written. Think. Question. Challenge it.”
The class nodded, some students already flipping through the pages in fascination.
I smirked, running my fingers over the runes on the cover.
Yeah.
This was gonna be good.
The bell rang, signaling the lunch break, and students started gathering their things, chatting in low, satisfied tones as they filtered toward the exit.
I slung my bag over my shoulder, ready to leave, when the professor called me. “Evan.”
I froze mid-step.
The class had nearly emptied out, but Professor Valen’s voice cut through the room.
I turned, finding his piercing gaze locked directly onto me.
Something in his eyes told me this wasn’t a casual conversation.
No.
He knew something.
I adjusted my bag strap, stepping closer. “Yeah?”
He leaned against his desk, crossing his arms. “You’re an interesting one.”
I blinked. “Uh… thanks?”
He chuckled. “That wasn’t a compliment. It was an observation.”
I tilted my head slightly. “Observation of what?”
His eyes gleamed. “You fit all the Houses.”
My stomach tightened slightly. ‘Ah. So he knows.’
I kept my expression neutral. “Is that a bad thing?”
Professor Valen exhaled slowly, studying me. “Not necessarily. But it does make me wonder…”
I stayed silent, waiting for him to continue.
Then, after a pause, he said something. “Evan.” His voice was calm. Measured. Certain. “You don’t belong anywhere, yet you fit everywhere.”
I stiffened slightly, gripping the strap of my bag. The words pressed down on me in a way that felt almost… heavy. It wasn’t an insult. It wasn’t even a warning. It was just the truth.
I exhaled slowly, forcing a smirk. “And yet, I’m still here.”
Professor Valen’s lips twitched slightly, something amused but knowing flickering behind his sharp gaze. “You are.” Then he tilted his head slightly, watching me. “So tell me, Evan—why House of Arcana?”
I blinked. “Huh?”
“You had the freedom to choose any of the Houses,” he said, crossing his arms. “With your ranking, you could have excelled in any of them. So why this one?”
I hesitated.
Because Valor has Ares and I don’t feel like dealing with his bullshit every day.
Because Titans would expect me to be a damn tank, and I like my bones unbroken.
Because Saints would require me to be a kind, selfless healer, and I have exactly zero interest in babysitting reckless fighters.
Yeah.
None of those sounded like a respectable answer. I needed a better one.
A moment passed before I finally spoke.
“Because knowledge is power,” I said simply.
Professor Valen raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Go on.”
I shifted my stance, adjusting my bag as I spoke. “A sword is only as good as the one who wields it. Strength is great, but if you don’t know when to strike, how to fight, or why you’re fighting, then all that strength means nothing.”
His expression remained unreadable, so I continued.
“Arcana isn’t just about magic—it’s about understanding. Strategy, adaptation, learning how things work and making them work for you.” I let my smirk return slightly. “And honestly? That’s more useful than just punching things harder.”
Professor Valen’s gaze flickered with something sharp, like he was weighing my words, testing them. Then, finally, he chuckled.
“A good answer,” he mused. “Well thought out. Almost like you had that prepared in advance.”
I shrugged. “What can I say? I’m adaptable.”
He hummed, studying me for another moment before nodding. “You’re not wrong. House of Arcana exists because brute force isn’t always the answer. This is where tacticians, researchers, and spellcasters learn to push magic beyond its limits.”
I nodded. “Exactly.”
“And yet,” he added, “you don’t seem like someone who only values knowledge. You’re not… detached like most scholars.”
I tilted my head slightly. “That a compliment?”
He smirked. “Merely an observation.”
I exhaled, running a hand through my hair. “Alright, well, did you call me here just to analyze me, or was there something else?”
Professor Valen chuckled, shaking his head. “That’s all for now. But I’ll be keeping an eye on you, Evan.”
“Not ominous at all,” I muttered.
He smiled. “Go eat your lunch before you start overanalyzing everything I just said.”
I rolled my eyes. “No promises.”
With that, I turned and finally left the lecture hall, stepping out into the bustling corridors of the academy.
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