The secluded park beside the administration building lay quiet under the muted warmth of the afternoon, its pathways bathed in soft light as a gentle breeze moved through the trees, rustling the leaves just enough to break the stillness without disturbing the privacy of the space. Away from the main flow of the academy, it remained an ideal place for conversations that were never meant to be heard.

"Fine... I agree to your conditions."

Serena’s voice cut through the calm, steady yet carrying a firm resolve as she stood facing Celdric, her posture straight, her expression composed but far from yielding.

Celdric stood across from her, a small, satisfied smile forming on his lips as he took in her words, the tension in his stance easing slightly as though he had been expecting this outcome all along.

"But..."

The word came just as his smile began to settle, causing it to falter slightly as his brows drew together in faint irritation.

Serena did not hesitate.

"I will agree only to an engagement with you... once Damon Valecrest is dead."

The condition landed cleanly, without room for misinterpretation.

Celdric’s brows furrowed more visibly now, his earlier composure tightening as he looked at her.

"That was not what we agreed on," he said, his tone edged with dissatisfaction.

Serena’s expression did not change.

"Do you really think I would agree to marry you just like that?" she replied calmly, her voice steady, almost dismissive of the idea, "and besides, it is not even entirely in my hands... my marriage is a matter decided by the duchy, not by me."

She took a slight step forward, her gaze unwavering.

"If we succeed... only then will I even have the leverage to push things further."

Celdric clicked his tongue softly, the sound carrying his annoyance as he turned his head slightly, considering the terms with clear reluctance.

Serena, however, allowed a faint smile to form.

"Hmph... do you really think I am unaware of your intentions?" she said, her tone sharpening just slightly, "if you manage to secure an engagement with me, your position as heir becomes almost unquestionable."

Her eyes locked onto his.

"This is the offer," she concluded, her voice firm, leaving no space for negotiation, "take it... or leave it."

Celdric fell silent for a moment, his expression shifting as he weighed the situation, though beneath it all, there was a sense that he had already anticipated this outcome, as if this was simply a step within a path he had already considered.

Then—

He gave a small nod.

Accepting.

"What’s the plan then?" he asked, his tone settling back into something more controlled.

Serena’s smile deepened just slightly as she looked at him, her eyes carrying a quiet, calculated glint.

"We already have a bait..." she said softly.

"...don’t we?"

***

"So what did you feel today in the classroom?"

The question settled gently into the quiet of the cabin, where tall glass panels reflected the soft ambient light and the refined white-and-gold interior carried a calm, controlled atmosphere.

Elowen stood near a side shelf, placing a small decorative piece into position with deliberate care before turning and walking back toward her desk, her steps unhurried as she took her seat behind it. Across from her, Damon sat with a composed posture, his gaze following her movements briefly before settling again.

"Nothing," he replied evenly, his tone carrying a faint edge of honesty, "just a bit frustrated."

Elowen tilted her head slightly, a soft "Hmm?" escaping her as her eyes rested on him with quiet curiosity.

"Were you expecting a different answer?" Damon asked, his gaze steady.

Elowen nodded without hesitation, a small smile forming on her lips. "I thought you might be jealous," she said lightly, "seeing how the person you beat up on the first day has now moved ahead of you."

Damon let out a faint chuckle at that, his expression unchanged as he responded, "Aren’t you a bit too prejudiced for someone who’s supposed to help me control my emotions?"

Elowen paused for a brief moment before a low, amused laugh slipped out of her, her shoulders relaxing just slightly. "I apologize," she said, her tone still warm, "that was indeed an unfair assumption."

Damon leaned back a fraction, his gaze sharpening just enough as he asked, "Don’t you think I could be lying?"

Elowen’s smile didn’t fade. "If you were capable of lying about something like this without me noticing," she replied calmly, "then we wouldn’t need these sessions in the first place, would we?"

Damon offered no response to that, his silence speaking more than any words could have.

A brief pause settled between them before Elowen continued, her tone shifting back into quiet inquiry.

"Why did you feel frustrated?"

Damon exhaled faintly, his eyes lowering for just a moment before he answered, "It’s the kind of frustration you feel when something seems within your reach... only for it to slip away at the last moment."

Elowen nodded slowly. "I see..."

Silence lingered again, softer this time, before she leaned forward slightly, her gaze more focused now.

"Did you feel anything different when you were inside the breach," she asked, "or when you came out of it... or simply tell me what you experienced."

Damon paused.

Only for a moment.

Then answered with a calm detachment.

"It felt like clearing a game on easy difficulty."

Inside, however, his thoughts moved differently.

...Although I do suspect it wasn’t just all an unrelated plot... but a real connection to something beyond... through that ’he’...

The thought lingered.

...but that’s not something I want to reveal just yet.

Elowen let out a soft chuckle at his response, the sound light yet thoughtful as her gaze remained fixed on him.

Elowen rested her chin lightly against her hand for a brief moment before speaking again, her tone shifting into something more curious than probing.

"I heard you challenged Valerian," she said, her gaze steady on Damon, "by claiming your strategy was better than the one he used to clear his first breach."

Damon nodded without much thought, as though the statement carried no particular weight for him.

Elowen’s brows lifted slightly. "Why did you do that?"

"I thought he might enjoy it," Damon replied plainly.

For a moment, Elowen simply looked at him.

"...What?" she said, tilting her head again, her expression caught somewhere between confusion and disbelief.

Damon let out a small laugh, the sound light as he leaned back just slightly. "I genuinely thought he would give a better grade if he found something more interesting than the others," he said, his tone casual, as though explaining something obvious.

Elowen blinked.

Once.

Then again.

Her gaze lingered on him for a second longer before she shook her head slowly, a faint sigh escaping her as she muttered under her breath, "And here we were... overthinking everything..."

The realization seemed to settle in her posture as she straightened slightly, brushing aside whatever assumptions she had formed earlier before looking back at him with her usual composed smile.

"This will be enough for today," she said, her tone returning to its calm, professional warmth, "we will meet again tomorrow."

Damon paused briefly before responding, his voice steady but carrying a hint of consideration. "I’m sorry, Miss... but can we meet next week instead? I’ll be occupied with something this week."

Elowen’s smiling eyes narrowed just slightly, a subtle shift that suggested curiosity rather than suspicion, as she studied him for a brief moment before giving a small nod in agreement.

***

Damon moved through the academy corridors with an unhurried yet purposeful stride, his attention partially fixed on the manacron resting against his wrist as he idly navigated through its interface, his thoughts already aligned toward the next steps he intended to take. The steady rhythm of his movement was broken by a sharp notification—

DING!

A new message appeared.

"Come to the place we met last time!"

A faint smile formed on his lips the moment he read it, his expression shifting with quiet anticipation as he lowered his wrist and adjusted his path without hesitation, his steps now carrying a clear sense of direction.

By the time he reached the secluded park beside the administration building, the afternoon light had begun to soften, the space holding that same quiet isolation it always seemed to maintain. Serena was already there, standing with her usual composed posture as though she had been waiting for some time.

"You are late," she said flatly, her tone edged with mild irritation.

Damon didn’t even slow as he approached, his response coming just as casually.

"So what?"

Serena clicked her tongue softly, her annoyance barely concealed as she folded her arms slightly.

"This is the only time," she said firmly, her gaze sharp, "and just a one-time occurrence... after this, we are clear."

Damon smiled faintly, offering a small nod as though acknowledging her terms without resistance.

Before he could respond further—

DING!

His manacron lit up again.

His eyes flicked toward it.

And his smile widened just slightly.

"Good," he said, his tone shifting with a hint of satisfaction, "we’ll discuss further details tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Serena echoed immediately, her brows knitting together in confusion.

Damon nodded, already turning as he spoke.

"Ahh... I seem to have forgotten to tell you," he added lightly, "we need to submit a report on the breach."

And without waiting for her reaction—

He walked off.

***

"Good evening.....Count Halewind!"