Over the past several days, they had examined every inch of the stone door, searched for hidden chanisms, and even joined forces to bombard it with attacks.
All in vain.
The stone door remained unmoved, as solid and unyielding as a mountain.
When Zora appeared, the spirit warriors of the House Ravens instinctively stepped aside. After all, she had once saved Fiona’s life. Whether out of gratitude or caution, they did not wish to offend her.
The mbers of Heaven’s Gate also made way. Even setting aside her abilities, her association with Prince Kael alone was enough to make them think twice.
Zora stood before the stone door, her gaze calm and focused.
This door was nearly identical to the ones deeper within the ruins. Aside from its slightly larger size, there was nothing outwardly special about it.
The owner of these ruins clearly did not think like ordinary people. If one wanted to open this door, one had to search for a solution in places others would never consider.
Just as Zora began carefully examining the stone door, a soft voice spoke from beside her.
"Miss Zora."
She turned to see Elowen standing nearby, her posture gentle and her expression composed.
"Elowen," Elowen said with a polite smile. "Greetings."
Zora nodded slightly. "Greetings, Miss Elowen."
Her impression of Elowen had always been a deep one. Although Elowen rarely spoke and kept a low profile, the subtle events that had unfolded earlier made it clear that this was a woman of sharp intelligence.
Soone with such a gentle exterior, yet capable of holding her ground within a powerful family, could never be simple.
"I truly admire Miss Zora’s abilities," Elowen said softly. "If you do not mind, I would like to be friends with you."
Her tone was natural, her deanor neither overbearing nor ingratiating, leaving no room for discomfort.
Zora’s lips curved into a faint smile. "Of course. I would be honored to be friends with Miss Elowen."
To her, this was not unexpected.
Reesa had beco her friend out of sincerity. Elowen, however, was different. This was a friendship built on mutual benefit and shared interests.
If Zora was not mistaken, Elowen and Guinvere were far from close. Seeking an alliance with her at this mont was a very reasonable choice.
Seeing how readily Zora agreed, Elowen was montarily surprised. She had originally thought that Zora might be difficult to approach.
Now, it seed she had overthought it. "Since Miss Zora is now my friend," Elowen said softly, her voice lowering, "there is sothing I feel obliged to ntion. I hope you won’t find ddleso."
Zora smiled faintly. "Please speak. If it’s a kind reminder, how could I take offense?"
"Guinvere is not as gentle as she appears," Elowen continued, her tone calm but serious. "Now that you are by Prince Kael’s side, you should be wary of her thods."
Her words were spoken so quietly that only the two of them could hear.
Zora’s brows lifted slightly.
It seed her earlier guess had been correct. There really was a history between Elowen and Guinvere, one that outsiders knew nothing about.
And Elowen was right. Guinvere was certainly not soone to underestimate.
The reason Guinvere had maintained a peaceful facade until now was simple: she was clever enough to hide her sharp edges in front of Prince Kael. But once this trip to the ruins ended, that mask would no longer be necessary.
Trouble would inevitably follow.
Yet Zora did not feel uneasy.
Trouble, after all, could also be a whetstone. If Guinvere chose to make a move, she would treat it as an opportunity to temper herself and grow stronger.
And moreover, it was within her expectations.
"Thank you for the reminder, Miss Elowen," Zora replied sincerely. "I will be careful."
Her stunning face carried a gentle yet composed smile, her expression calm and unshaken.
Since Elowen had spoken out of goodwill, Zora was willing to accept it. There was no conflict of interest between them, and Elowen had no reason to harm her.
After all, the enemy of one’s enemy could indeed beco a friend. And for now, they shared the sa opponent.
From a short distance away, Sigmund and the others noticed Elowen whispering to Zora, their expressions relaxed and even pleasant. The scene surprised them.
Elowen’s behavior today was quite different from her usual reserved self.
After delivering her warning, Elowen said no more. With a polite smile, she returned to her original spot.
For her, establishing a connection with Zora was enough. There was no need to reveal everything at once. Maintaining a good relationship was the wiser choice.
Reesa soon wandered over, unable to suppress her curiosity. "Zora, what did Elowen say to you just now?"
The mont the words left her mouth, Reesa realized she might have crossed a line and hurriedly added, "I just... well, I don’t trust people from those big families. If it’s inconvenient, you don’t have to tell ."
Seeing Reesa’s flustered expression, Zora couldn’t help but laugh softly. "Reesa, I know what you’re thinking. There’s no need to explain."
"Huh?" Reesa still looked uneasy, but when she saw that Zora truly wasn’t upset, she finally relaxed. "That’s good. I was worried you might misunderstand ."
"With our relationship, how could I?" Zora said, smiling as she lightly patted Reesa’s shoulder. "Don’t overthink it."
"She just reminded of a few things," Zora added calmly. "Nothing more. You don’t need to worry."
Only then did Reesa let out a breath of relief. "As long as you’re fine. I just don’t think Elowen is soone simple either."
Zora’s lips curved into a gentle, steady smile. "What you’re worried about, I understand."
Reesa laughed softly, a hint of embarrassnt surfacing between her brows. "You’re much smarter than I am. You probably see things far more clearly than I do. I was worrying for nothing."
The warmth in Zora’s eyes deepened. In this vast academy and among so many calculating spirit warriors, eting soone as sincere as Reesa was a rare stroke of luck. That alone made this journey worthwhile.
She stepped closer to the massive stone door and raised her hand, knocking lightly against it.
Thud.
The dull echo rolled back, heavy and lifeless.
She changed the angle, knocked again, listening carefully to how the sound traveled through the stone. Her movents were slow, deliberate, as if she were feeling rather than searching.
"Zora, there’s really no need to do that," Reesa said with a helpless sigh. "In the past ten days, everyone here has checked every inch of this stone door. The surface, the edges, the seams... even the ground beneath it. Not a single chanism was found."
She spread her hands. "At this point, there’s nothing left that hasn’t been touched."
Zora nodded faintly, acknowledging her words, but her attention never left the door.
Of course, everyone had tried. Staying here this long ant every obvious thod had been exhausted.
Which ant the answer wasn’t obvious.
Her gaze swept slowly over the stone door. The ancient carvings were worn smooth by ti, yet traces of intricate craftsmanship still remained.
The patterns spiraled and interlocked, elegant and restrained, carrying the unmistakable temperant of a master who valued control and subtlety.
A glint of admiration flickered in her eyes.
"I really have to respect the mind of the ruins’ owner," Reesa muttered, rubbing her temple. "The illusion earlier, and now this sealed door... everything is designed so cleanly that people don’t even know where they went wrong."
Her expression turned wry. "Compared to him, my brain really isn’t enough."
At that mont, Baldwin walked over and stopped beside Reesa. "The master of these ruins was a true powerhouse," he said calmly. "His thinking, naturally, isn’t sothing ordinary spirit warriors can easily grasp. Not finding the solution right away is normal."
Zora glanced at the two of them, a faint smile flashing through her eyes.
Half a month apart, and yet sohow, Baldwin and Reesa now stood together with an easy familiarity. It was subtle, but noticeable.
"Zora," Baldwin added, his tone gentle, "you’ve only just co out. Don’t you want to rest for a while first?"
She shook her head. "I’ve been in closed cultivation the entire ti. If anything, I need to move more. Staying still for too long makes the body stiff."
As she spoke, her gaze drifted back to the stone door.
Then it stopped.
Right beneath the two heavy tal rings embedded in the door were two shallow grooves. They were circular, symtrical, and carved with delicate patterns that blended seamlessly into the surrounding designs.
At first glance, they looked purely ornantal.
But Zora frowned.
"What’s this?" she asked quietly.
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