"And that," he said at last, his tone even and deliberate, "is precisely why I called you here. I need a favor from you."
"Favor?" Thaleia murmured, the single word slipping from her lips before she could stop it. Her fingers tightened slightly around the dagger she was still holding. Her mind began to move quickly. A favor, after a speech like that, could not be sothing small.
Her thoughts turned heavy.
Edward walked back toward his desk, calm as ever, and rested one hand lightly against its surface.
"I am forming an independent expedition guild for Atlantis," he said.
The words settled into the room slowly.
Thaleia blinked. "Independent?"
"The White Tower permits it," Edward continued. "As long as the participants et the requirents. Any group may enter if each mber is at least at the Adept stage and below Archmage. However, to register as an official expedition guild, there are additional conditions."
He looked at her directly.
"There must be at least two individuals above the Adept stage. aning one True Mage and one High Mage at minimum. Or both at the True Mage Realm."
"My cultivation is already at the early level of the High Mage realm," Edward said evenly. "So I require one more person to fulfill the criteria."
Silence stretched between them.
"You want to join you," she said quietly.
"Yes."
Her mind reeled. She was twenty eight years old. Among the human domain, she was already considered talented. To reach the peak of the Adept stage before thirty was no small achievent. Many nobles twice her age had not progressed that far. She had worked for years to inscribe circle after circle into her mana core. One hundred circles, layered and stabilized. Only one step remained.
One step that had refused to yield.
"My Lord," she said slowly, forcing steadiness into her voice, "I am only at the peak of the Adept stage. I have ford the one hundredth circle. But I cannot inscribe the one hundred and first. I cannot step into the True Mage realm."
Edward’s expression did not change.
"Your problem is synchronization," he said.
Thaleia frowned faintly and interrupted. "I am aware of that much. Every Adept knows that the breakthrough requires—"
"Be quiet and let finish," Edward said calmly, though his tone carried quiet authority.
She stiffened imdiately. "Forgive ."
"You’re trying to force the hundred circles to line up by brute strength," Edward said, his voice steady but direct. "You keep compressing them, spinning them faster, pushing more mana into the core, thinking pressure will do. It won’t. That’s not how this works."
Her eyes narrowed slightly. "Then what is?"
"The inscriptions must vibrate at the sa frequency," he said.
She stared at him.
"I used the Celestial Needle technique," Edward continued. "There are many ways to synchronize the inscriptions, but the Celestial Needle allows for precise internal vibration of the mana core, especially for soone with an Adept foundation. Through it, the speed of synchronization increases significantly. Each circle is aligned through micro-oscillations until they begin to move as one."
"But I cannot teach you the technique within five days," he continued. "that would be impossible, even if you have a staggering comprehension."
Her shoulders lowered slightly. "Then what are you suggesting?"
He looked at her steadily.
"I can vibrate your core for you."
The aning struck her like a physical blow.
Her face flushed instantly. "You do not an—"
"Yes," Edward said plainly. "Dual cultivation."
Her grip on the dagger loosened slightly. "My Lord, that is..."
She struggled to find the words.
"Do not make it sound like anything other than what it is," Edward said calmly. "A necessary step to increase your cultivation in ti for Atlantis."
Her heart began to beat faster. Dual cultivation was not unheard of, but it was intimate. It required an intense level of sexual arousent before it can be accomplished
"It is simply the rging of mana circulation patterns," Edward continued. "My mana will enter your core. I will control the vibration frequency. I will align your circles externally. Once synchronization is achieved, the one hundred and first circle will inscribe naturally."
Thaleia’s face turned red, then even redder, as her thoughts began to wander. For a brief and dangerous mont, she found herself imagining what it would feel like to be with soone as distant and controlled as Edward. The idea unsettled her, yet the context remained what he had said—dual cultivation. She suddenly realized she had been lost in those thoughts for nearly a full minute.
"Forgive ," she said quickly, straightening her posture. "I did not expect such a proposal to be made so abruptly."
Edward’s gaze sharpened slightly. "Is it your duty to assist ?"
The question ca without warning. She chose her next words carefully. When he said assist, did he an in cultivation alone, or sothing more personal? Refusing outright could be misunderstood, yet answering too quickly might imply sothing else entirely. After a brief pause, she lowered her head slightly and replied, "Yes, my Lord."
"Is going to Atlantis with assisting ?"
She hesitated, then answered honestly. "Yes."
"Then focus on the objective," he said. "Not anything else."
"And do not underestimate yourself," Edward added. "The dagger I threw earlier. Even Valerius would have struggled to catch it cleanly."
Her eyes widened slightly. Valerius was one of the strongest knights in the territory. For Edward to compare her reaction to his...
"You are stronger than you believe," Edward said quietly. "You lack only the synchronization to step into the True Mage Realm."
She looked down at the dagger still in her hand. The impact had forced her back five steps, yet she had caught it.
Atlantis lood in her mind again. Thirty two Gates. Monsters that twisted reality. The Chain of Corruption.
If she remained here, she would be safe. If she went, she might die.
If she stayed, she would always know she chose safety while he walked into danger.
"You are certain this will push into the True Mage realm?" she asked quietly.
"Yes," Edward said without hesitation.
She exhaled slowly. Her cheeks were still warm, but her thoughts were beginning to settle. She had dedicated her cultivation to growth. To progress. To refinent. Now a path stood before her.
Dangerous. Unconventional. Intimate.
But efficient.
After several long seconds, she lifted her gaze to et his.
"I will join your expedition guild," she said.
Edward nodded once, as if he had expected no other answer.
"And I will... accept the thod you propose," she added, forcing the words out evenly.
He studied her for a mont, as if confirming her resolve.
"Good," he said.
She straightened her posture slightly, regaining composure. "When?"
"Tonight," Edward replied. "The synchronization will require several hours. You will need rest afterward."
Her heart skipped again at the matter of fact tone.
"Go and prepare," he continued. "Wait in my room, I will be there in a few minutes."
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