Warlock Ch 335. You Remind of Him
Aria leaned forward slightly. "We can't afford reckless moves."
Cassius smirked. "Oh, I disagree."
Evelyn sighed. "Of course you do."
Cassius shrugged. "I an, why not shake things up?"
Aria's eyes narrowed. "Because we don't know how deep this goes."
Damian exhaled, glancing at her. "Then we find out."
Aria studied him for a mont before speaking. "And how do you propose we do that?"
Then— Damian grinned.
"Oh, I have a few ideas." Damian leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. His mind was racing, ideas clicking into place. If they wanted to play dirty, then fine. He'd play right back.
"They're trying to contain us," he said, glancing at Aria. "They want us sitting here, doing nothing. Waiting. Wasting ti." His gaze flickered to Evelyn, then Victoria. "But if they're willing to assassinate a fae princess without hesitation, that ans they're confident. Too confident."
Cassius's eyes glead. "Go on."
Damian exhaled. "We need to shake the board. Change the ga." He gestured vaguely. "Sitting in this fortress, waiting for them to make the next move? That's stupid. That's what they want."
Aria frowned. "And what exactly do you suggest?"
Damian grinned. "I say we force them to show their hand."
Evelyn raised an eyebrow. "And how do we do that?"
Damian exhaled. "Simple. We leak information."
Aria's expression sharpened.
Victoria's smirk widened. "Oh, I like where this is going."
Cassius chuckled. "Leaking what, exactly?"
Damian leaned back. "Pieces of the truth. Just enough to make them panic. We don't expose everything—just enough to make them act. Get them scared." He tapped his fingers against the armrest. "Make them think we know more than we actually do."
Aria crossed her arms. "That's a dangerous ga."
Damian smirked. "Isn't it?"
Cassius grinned. "Who do we leak it to?"
Damian tilted his head. "We start small. Whispers. Rumors. Unconfird reports." He exhaled. "There's already tension. The families of the dead participants? They're already angry. The magic community is uneasy after what happened in the exam."
Victoria humd. "You want to feed that unease."
Damian nodded. "Exactly."
Evelyn exhaled, rubbing her temple. "So we stir up paranoia, make them react, and use that to track who's really involved?"
Damian grinned. "Bingo."
Aria was quiet for a long mont. Then—
"That… might actually work."
Cassius smirked. "Oh, it will."
It was ti to make them sweat.
But before anything else, Aria excused herself.
"I have to go," she said, her tone even as always. "There's too much happening, and I can't stay here any longer."
Damian exhaled, pushing himself up from his chair. "I'll escort you."
Aria blinked at him, surprised. "That's unnecessary."
Damian shrugged. "Doesn't matter. I'm doing it anyway."
She studied him for a long mont, then sighed, shaking her head slightly. "Suit yourself."
The others watched as they left. Evelyn smirked knowingly but said nothing. Cassius just chuckled, looking far too entertained by the whole thing.
Victoria raised an eyebrow as she sipped her drink. "Careful, Damian. If you keep escorting ladies like this, people might misunderstand."
Damian rolled his eyes but didn't respond.
The two of them walked in silence toward the entrance of Cassius' estate, the stone corridors dimly lit by soft enchanted lanterns. The cool air humd with layered barriers, magic woven into the very foundation of the place.
It was only when they reached the outermost doors that Aria finally spoke.
"Your growth is too fast."
Damian stopped.
The words weren't an accusation.
But they weren't casual either.
She turned slightly, watching him, her silver eyes sharp and searching.
Damian stayed silent.
She continued, her voice quieter. "I rember testing you just a few months ago." A small pause. "And yet… here you are. Suddenly a Rank S."
Her gaze didn't waver. "Weird, isn't it?"
Damian exhaled. "I already told you the reason why I'm like this."
Aria tilted her head slightly. "Oh? Because of Varak's crystals?"
She chuckled.
"Maybe the others will buy that," she said, amusent flickering in her tone. "?"
She scoffed, shaking her head. "I don't."
Damian clenched his jaw. She knew. Maybe she didn't have all the pieces, but she knew.
Aria exhaled, crossing her arms. "I had… a childhood friend once."
Damian's breath hitched. He already knew who she was talking about.
Kaelan.
Him.
But he said nothing.
Aria's expression didn't change, but her voice softened slightly. "He was a genius." She looked off into the distance. "Too much of one."
Damian swallowed. 'This conversation is dangerous.' But he didn't stop her.
She continued, her tone quieter now. "His life ended miserably because of power." A slow exhale. "Let's just say…" Her eyes flickered back to him. "You remind of him."
Damian's fingers curled slightly. He hated how those words made his chest tighten. Because she wasn't wrong. She was right. But she had no idea just how right she actually was.
Aria exhaled, crossing her arms. "I don't want you to end up like him."
Damian let out a slow breath. "Is that the reason why you helped last ti?"
She chuckled, tilting her head slightly. "So, you realized that."
He nodded. "Yeah."
She arched a brow. "Is that the reason you're escorting now?"
Another pause.
"Yes."
Aria studied him for a mont, unreadable as always.
Damian inhaled. "I wanted to thank you." His voice was even, steady. "If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have gotten my title as a Rank S warlock."
She didn't respond imdiately. She just… watched him.
Damian frowned slightly. "But I do want to ask… why did you do it?"
Her eyes flickered with sothing unreadable.
"I an," Damian continued, "I know you're a senator. And yeah, we've t a couple of tis. You tested once, and we've had a few conversations." He exhaled. "But that's all." His gaze locked onto hers. "Yet, you still decided to help ." His voice dropped slightly. "Why?"
Aria's lips parted slightly before she closed them again, as if reconsidering her answer. Then, after a mont, she spoke again. "I don't know," she admitted.
Damian raised an eyebrow.
Aria exhaled. "Maybe it's because you remind of my childhood friend."
Damian knew where this was going. He knew who she was talking about. Still, he didn't interrupt.
"Or," she said, "maybe it's because I think you are him."
His stomach twisted.
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