Selene’s lips curved as she let out a soft chuckle.
"Oh, that," she said, her voice carrying that quiet warmth. "It’s the Nexus core. It stabilizes your mana and keeps you balanced under the chamber’s pressure."
Eran’s smirk deepened, his thoughts playing idly as though he hadn’t known but was amused by the explanation.
His gaze flicked back to the golden banner faintly glowing at his wrist.
"But... can it still stay attached if we leave the Grade C chambers?" he asked, tilting his head slightly toward her.
She leaned closer, letting her presence brush against him with quiet grace.
"Yes, Eran," she replied softly. "After the final duel that’s coming in a week, we’ll return to the Grade C chambers. The core will remain linked until then."
Eran exhaled slowly, as the mory of the last event flickered across his mind.
"Well," he murmured, letting a faint grin curve his lips, "I guess I won’t forget... not after the one Professor Girzar conducted."
Selene’s lips quirked upward at the edge, clearly sharing the mory as her gaze lingered on him.
Without further words, she gave a quiet nod, then exhaled softly,
"But how are you going to handle this, Eran?" she asked, her voice warm but edged with concern. "Is there a way I can help? This duel... It’s more than a test. It’s a mark of pride between nobles, a asure of how far each of you has co."
She paused for a mont letting her tone drop as though reluctant to say the next part.
"But your opponent is Miyu," she added, her gaze locked on Eran’s for a mont too long, sothing unreadable passing between them. "She’s one of my best students."
Eran’s thoughts stirred the mont her words settled.
Miyu.
His mind replayed the mory from earlier without rcy... her moans, her breathless cries and gasps, the way she had clung to him earlier, poking out her tongue in desperation as evidence she swallowed all her slick.
The mory curled sothing in his chest, and a quiet chuckle slipped past his lips where he sat.
Selene’s gaze shifted toward him, lingering in a shade of quiet curiosity.
"Eran... it’s not funny." Her tone was soft but sharp enough to cut the air between them. "You know Miyu, and how she acts around you. She never lets her pride bend for anyone, not when she knows—"
She drew a slow breath, lowering her voice into sothing almost hesitant.
"—you’re a commoner."
Her steps were soundless but deliberate as she moved closer to him where he sat on the bed. Her hand hovered near his shoulder before she let it fall gently to her side, with her expression softening.
"I didn’t an it like that, Eran. But you know how arrogant she can be."
Eran only smirked, with his calm expression
"Well... it’s true. She never lets her guard down for anyone."
His gaze rose to Selene’s, steady and unreadable.
"But it’s best you keep your eye on that day."
He leaned in closer from where he sat on the bed, closing the distance between them.
"Don’t fall too quickly," he murmured, his gaze sweeping briefly around the room... the walls, the quiet hum of mana, the air itself.
"Or else..." his lips curved faintly "...everything will be for nothing."
Selene’s breath hitched, shattering her composure for the briefest monts.
"Have you forgotten?" Eran added, with a teasing smirk.
She exhaled slowly, her cheeks flushed as she lowered her gaze for just a mont before eting his again.
"You caught my line again, Eran," she admitted softly. "Twice now..."
A low grin curved her lips as she shook her head gently.
"Well... I guess you won."
Eran couldn’t hold it in this ti, his laughter broke free, deep and unrestrained, filling the chamber with its warm edge.
Selene’s low grin softened into sothing warr.
"Well," she murmured, tilting her head just slightly, "that makes us even."
Her eyes stayed on him for a mont longer than usual, the air between them still humming from his laughter.
"But I’ll keep my gaze on you," she added quietly, almost as though promising it to herself. "Just to be sure you don’t walk away hurt when the duel cos."
Eran’s gaze lingered on her quiet and unreadable.
Behind that calm expression, thoughts pressed in; his recent rank-up, the weight of his new skill still humming in the back of his mind. Normally, that alone would have been enough to take Miyu down in the coming duel.
But Miyu wasn’t an opponent anymore.
A faint smirk touched his lips as he leaned back, letting the thought settle. She was part of him now, in ways no one else would ever understand... and that made everything far more complicated. Only she knew, in those stolen monts between them, that he wasn’t the weakling everyone thought he was.
And maybe that was exactly how he wanted to keep it.
If anyone could help him keep his mask in place, it was her... Miyu, playing her part in the ga, letting him remain the "weakling" everyone thought he was... while she and Eran both share a secret understanding between them.
Selene caught the distant look in his eyes, tilting her head slightly.
"Eran... you’re lost in thought again."
He t her gaze, that calm grin curving faintly at the edge of his mouth.
"You should rest for a while," he said softly. "You’ve been up all day without pause... even your mana will burn out if you keep this up."
Selene leaned closer, brushing her warm breath at his ear, with a low voice and steady.
"I always feel alive when I’m with you, beloved."
Then she drew back, her erald eyes holding his for a heartbeat too long before she spoke again.
"I’ll go to my chamber now... get so rest while I still can."
Eran didn’t speak... he simply leaned forward, pressing a light kiss to her forehead, that faint smirk still tugging at his lips as he watched her turn away.
She stood gracefully, her movent fluid and quiet, giving him one last perfect view before she turned for the door.
And with the soft click of the door behind her, Eran exhaled slowly.
"Always leaving with sothing to think about," he muttered under his breath, letting the words hang as he leaned back against the bed.
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