Lord Aldrich exhaled, adjusting his monocle as he regarded Raven closely.
"Your Highness," he began, his hands clasped behind his back, "please be reasonable. Layn do not possess magic. It is a rare gift—one that your bloodline does not carry. The last mage in your family was your grandmother, and even she was considered an anomaly."
His gaze softened slightly. "You hold a duty to your kingdom. Your parents have already arranged your betrothal to Prince Cedric. The alliance is crucial in these tis of war. You cannot simply abandon your responsibilities for a fantasy."
Raven’s jaw tightened, her fingers trembling at her sides. It was clear that part of her wanted to believe his words... but a stronger part of her refused to.
Pandra, who had been silent until now, stepped forward.
"Chancellor," she said respectfully, "Are there rules in this academy that prohibit layn from studying magic?"
Elysia looked at Pandra for a mont, then smiled. "Waurweth Academy does not discriminate. All beings—human, elf, or otherwise—are welco to enroll." Her eyes glinted. "Demons, of course, are the sole exception."
Pandra nodded, turning back to Aldrich. "Then by all ans, Princess Eris has the right to study here. She may be a layman, but she’s the strongest person I’ve ever known. Let her fulfill her quest for magic." She hesitated, then added softly, "I wouldn’t want to see her leave."
Raven’s breath hitched, her eyes glistening as she whispered her na. "Pandra..."
Aldrich’s expression darkened. "And what of her father, the king? King Harold will not take kindly to this. He would never allow his only daughter to wander around wasting ti on magic."
That was when I stepped forward.
"Then why not give her a trial?" I suggested. "This is her first year at Waurweth. Let her study, let her train, and if after two years, she hasn’t made progress toward magic, she’ll withdraw and return ho."
Raven whirled toward , her face pale. "Two years?! That’s impossible. It takes decades—sotis a lifeti for a layman to even manifest the slightest spark of magi. It’s not sothing that can be done in a space of two years!"
I shrugged. "Well, there’s no harm in trying," I said simply. "No one says you have to follow the path others carved for you. You make your own fate."
Sothing in my words seed to ignite a fire in her. She straightened, her resolve hardening as she turned back to Aldrich.
"Give two years," she demanded, her voice steadier now. "If I fail, I’ll return ho without another word of protest. But until then... let chase this dream. Let try."
Aldrich studied her for a long mont, his monocle glinting under the office’s lights. Finally, he sighed.
"Very well," he conceded. "I will deliver your terms to His Majesty."
He motioned to one of the guards, who stepped forward and placed a polished wooden chest on Elysia’s desk.
Aldrich stepped forward and opened it—revealing stacks of gleaming gold coins.
There was enough money in that chest to fund several years of tuition and feeding.
"You know, your Highness," he continued, his voice lowering. "Your mother already anticipated this outco."
Raven’s eyes widened. "Mother?"
Aldrich nodded. "When I discovered you were here, I sent word to the palace. Queen Fiona intercepted the ssage before it reached the king. She ordered to test your resolve."
He paused then went on. "She told , if I found your spirit worthy... I was to support you. To protect you. Your mother wants you to find happiness, Eris. She believes in you. She always has. But she knew your father would never allow it—not unless you proved yourself."
For the first ti since the revelation, Raven’s shoulders relaxed.
A single tear slipped down her cheek as she whispered, "Thank you, Mother."
Aldrich bowed deeply. "Whatever you need—supplies, protection, discreet correspondence—you need only send word."
With that, he turned and strode toward the door, his guards falling into step behind him.
Just before he crossed the threshold, he paused and glanced back.
"Two years, Princess. No more."
Then he was gone.
The room fell into silence once again. Raven stood motionless, her fists clenched, her breathing uneven.
Then, slowly, she turned to Pandra and .
"I’m sorry," she whispered. "For lying. For everything."
Pandra smiled gently. "You don’t have to explain. I understand and I forgive you."
Raven turned to , her eyes eager. "Archer?"
I t her gaze head-on. "I feel betrayed. We’re friends. You shouldn’t have hidden the truth from ."
She lowered her head and apologized. "I know what I did was wrong, Archer. I was being selfish. If you’ll forgive I promise it won’t happen again."
I sighed. "It’s okay, the truth was bound to co out anyways. I’m just glad you’re still here with us."
Raven’s eyes brightened as she lifted her head and wiped the last drop of tears from her eyes. "Yes, thank you so much. I won’t disappoint you. I’ll work hard."
Elysia cleared her throat, her fingers tapping the Luminis Codex. "Now that that is settled... Princess Eris Lyon, you are officially a first-year student of Waurweth Academy."
Just then, the oak doors creaked open once more.
Two older students stepped inside—a tall, broad-shouldered young man with sharp amber eyes and a lean, graceful girl with dark hair tied into a neat braid.
The boy carried a neatly folded set of deep red robes with golden trim, while the girl held two more uniforms in her arms.
They approached in silence, stopping just before us. With a respectful bow, they each extended the uniform and badge—our first-year student insignia.
Elysia gestured toward them with a small, satisfied smile.
"These are your dormitory heads—Lucian and Ada. They’ll be taking you to your dormitory and giving you your orientation."
Lucian, gave a curt nod while the girl, Selene, offered a warr smile to Raven and Pandra.
Elysia motioned to the uniforms in their hands. "Those are your academy attire. Wear them with pride."
Elysia’s gaze swept over the three of us one last ti, her tone gentler now.
"Classes begin tomorrow. I suggest you rest well—you’ll need it. Study hard, ask questions. Good luck, diamonds in the rough."
Lucian stepped forward first, extending the robes toward . "Follow ."
His voice was deep and curt, leaving no room for argunt. I don’t think he’s thrilled to be here.
Selene moved toward Raven and Pandra, handing them their uniforms. "You two are with . Co. I’ll show you around."
* * * *
The mont the doors shut behind the new students, a hidden panel in the office wall slid open with a whisper.
From the shadows, a figure erged—clad in a garish court jester’s outfit, his porcelain mask face carved with an exaggerated smile
"How interesting," Andras crooned as he twirled a dagger between his fingers. "So Raven is actually Princess Eris of the Emberfalls Kingdom? Who would have thought? I like her already."
Elysia didn’t look at him. She remained in her seat, back straight, eyes fixed on the closed door the students had exited through.
"Indeed. And she’s a layman—which proves she’s not the child we’re looking for." She snapped the book shut, her gaze sharpening. "It’s that boy. Archer."
Andras’s grin twisted into a scowl. "That whelp? He looks weak. Inexperienced and soft. Nothing like the monster I fought three nights ago."
Elysia smirked. "Oh, he’s the one, alright. He hails from King Godfrey’s kingdom. Princess Camilia was rescued by her knight and an extra hand." She leaned forward, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Our sources confird it. The missing child who slaughtered Throgg’s warband? That was Archer."
Andras tilted his head, his jester’s bells jingling. "Then why doesn’t he look threatening? He looks like a mouse."
"Because he’s hiding his power," Elysia purred snapped. "He’s no fool. He suppresses his mana, but I can feel it—there’s sothing monstrous lurking beneath that polite smile."
Andras’s grin returned, wider this ti, his teeth glinting like a predator’s.
"So," he whispered, "how do we defeat him, Elysia? Hmm?" He leaned closer, voice barely above a breath. "Do we break him? Burn his friends?"
Elysia regarded him closely, her lips curling into a chilling smile. "We don’t kill him. We initiate him. Make him one of your own."
Andras reared his head back and let out a shrill peal of laughter, the bells on his jester’s cap jingling wildly.
"Oho? You want to puppet him?" His eyes gleaming with delight.
Elysia rose from her desk, her robes trailing behind her.
She walked with silent grace toward the tall arched balcony that overlooked the academy grounds.
"The ti of the Demon King is upon us," she murmured, her voice as cold as ice. "There is no ti to waste. We must eliminate—or control—every potential threat before his return."
She turned her head slightly, eyes locking onto Andras. "We cannot afford to waste resources hunting down a boy who has already proven dangerous. It’s far more efficient to control him."
Andras stroked his chin thoughtfully. "That makes sense."
Elysia left the balcony and approached him. "Your specialty is puppetry magic, isn’t it? You’ve already turned so many promising mages into your little marionettes. You can do that to Archer... can’t you?"
Andras’s eyes glinted. "Oh, he will be fun. I’ll weave him into my collection, just like the others. All it takes is the right mont... when he’s vulnerable and exposed. Then I’ll strike."
Elysia exhaled, satisfied. "Good. Very good."
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