Noel sat back against the wall, arms resting loosely on his knees. His voice was calm, but sothing beneath it trembled—like a thread pulled too tight.
"I knew sothing was off," he said. "From the mont I stepped into the Holy Capital, the air felt... wrong. Like the place was too clean on the surface."
Elena and Elyra listened in silence, their eyes steady on him.
"And then Charlotte perford that massive blessing," he continued. "Purifying the lakes and rivers around Estermont to stop the spread of the sickness. It worked. But it left her completely drained. That was the mont I knew sothing would happen."
He paused, eyes narrowing slightly.
"She was at her weakest... and they knew it."
That thought still made his stomach twist.
"So I started digging. Days passed. A week. Two. I asked questions. I checked records. Tried to track patterns in behavior, in the way people moved or avoided certain halls." He shook his head. "Nothing. I couldn’t prove anything."
He looked at the floor for a second.
"In the end... all I had was a gut feeling."
Then he glanced to the shadow along the wall, where sothing pulsed faintly within.
"And Noir. She was the one who sensed it before anyone else."
Noel’s eyes didn’t lift from the floor.
"There wasn’t any blood magic. No grand ritual. Just... experints. Hidden beneath charity and prayer."
He paused.
"They were using the orphans. Testing things. Pushing their bodies to the limit, fusing pieces that should never be fused. It was cruel."
His voice had dulled—emotion buried beneath control.
"There was one kid," he added. "Erick. I saw myself in him. He was clever. Brave. And scared as hell."
He clenched his hands. "I tried to protect him. I tried to get there in ti."
Another pause.
"I didn’t."
The words hit the air like a stone dropped into still water.
Elena looked away. Elyra’s lips were tight.
Noel’s tone lowered. "Even if Charlotte is safe now... it doesn’t feel like I did enough."
Elyra finally spoke, her voice gentle but firm. "Noel... sotis you forget that you’re not alone. There are people willing to help you. People who care. And you’re not even legally an adult yet. You’ve still got a year left."
Elena nodded. "She’s right. We’ve told you before—you don’t have to carry all of this by yourself."
Noel looked up at them both.
"I know. I want to rely on others... I do. But it scares . What if I put the people I care about in danger just by letting them close?"
Elyra leaned forward. "And do you think we like seeing you in danger, pretending it’s fine? You try to act detached, but we know you. You care. Even if you don’t show it."
The silence that followed was softer now.
Then Elyra tilted her head slightly. "By the way... where’s Noir?"
Noel glanced toward the corner of the room, where the shadows curved unnaturally around his feet.
"She’s resting," he said. "Ever since the fight... she hasn’t left my shadow."
Elyra’s eyes widened a little. "Resting? Has she been like that the whole ti?"
Noel nodded. "Yeah. She’s recovering. And... she’s grown. A lot."
"Grown?" Elyra repeated.
Elena, curious, looked between them. "Wait—who’s Noir?"
Noel turned toward her. "She’s my familiar. Hatched from a strange egg I found months ago. We’re bonded. She’s... unique."
Elena blinked, eyes widening slightly. "Wait... that’s what ca out of the egg?"
Noel nodded. "Yeah."
Elena looked down for a mont, then back at him. "I didn’t ask back then... you were still recovering in the infirmary at the academy, and I didn’t want to push you."
Noel’s expression softened. "Thanks. I rember."
Elyra smiled faintly. "Well... she’s stronger than she looks."
Noel returned the expression, just slightly. "She always has been."
The quiet lingered.
Noel sat still for a mont, eyes fixed on the candlelight dancing across the wooden walls.
’Should I tell them? Should I just say it—that the original Noel is dead? That I’m soone else entirely?’
He glanced at Elena, then at Elyra.
’If they knew... maybe it would be easier. Maybe they could help without questioning why I know so much. Why I’ve always been right where everything happens.’
His chest tightened.
’But how do you even explain sothing like that? That you’ve read this world as fiction? That you’ve lived it before?’
He closed his eyes briefly.
’Marcus has been involved in every incident too, though. Maybe I’m not as out of place as I think.’
Noel looked up and took a breath.
"Listen to carefully. What I’m about to say might sound strange... but it’s true."
He tried.
"As you can see, I’ve changed a lot over the past year... and that’s because of dgnfbdbf sddSVbdds ethnbefrbg."
Elyra frowned slightly. "What did you say? That you’ve changed?"
"Huh? Didn’t you hear ? I don’t mind repeating it. My entire shift in mindset happened because of dgnfbdbf sddSVbdds ethnbefrbg."
Elena looked at him, puzzled. "Noel, we can’t understand you."
"I know you told not to ask about weird languages a while back," said Elyra, arms crossed, "but seriously, I only speak common. And that wasn’t it."
’What’s going on?’
Noel went quiet, then looked away.
"...It’s nothing. What I ant to say is that sothing inside clicked. I didn’t want to be the sa person anymore. That’s all."
Elena offered a soft smile. "Ah. I see. Yeah... it shows."
The room fell into a calm stillness. For a brief mont, it felt like everything had been said.
Then, without warning, a faint shimr of light appeared in front of Noel—silent, sudden.
A ssage floated in the air, clear as crystal.
[System Notification]
Noel, Noel, you can’t do that. There are rules that must be followed. So basic laws cannot be broken like you just tried to.
One day, you’ll get the answers you’re looking for. But first... keep going with the missions. Good luck!
Noel stared at it, his breath caught in his throat.
’This is new... That tone. It didn’t feel automated—it felt like soone wrote it. Soone... real.’
Elyra stood up, brushing off her skirt casually.
"Well, we should let you get so rest. If you need anything, you’ve still got that bell from last ti, right?"
"Yeah," Noel said. "If I ring it here, it sounds in the next room. Got it. Thanks... for listening. I feel a bit better now."
Elyra smiled. Without hesitation, she leaned in and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.
"Don’t forget to use it if you need anything."
Elena watched the gesture, visibly flustered. Her eyes darted between them for a second, before she stepped forward and, hesitating just a mont, wrapped Noel in a brief, gentle hug.
She pulled back quickly, her cheeks flushed. "Thanks for trusting us. See you later, Noel."
The door closed behind them, leaving Noel alone with only the distant sway of the ship and the soft hum of thought in his head.
The cabin was quiet now.
Noel sat still for a mont, staring at the spot where the system ssage had appeared. Then, slowly, he lay back on the bed.
The faint rustle of movent ca from the floor.
A shadow shifted—rising, swirling—and from it erged Noir, in her pup form. Her sleek black fur was darker than the room itself, streaked with faint traces of violet. Her eyes t his with a silent, knowing gaze before she leapt lightly onto the bed and curled up beside him.
He reached out and gently stroked her back.
"You finally ca out," he murmured. "I guess even you needed so ti."
Noir responded only with a quiet huff and nestled closer.
Noel looked up at the wooden ceiling.
"Seems like this is just the beginning, Noir. I need to use everything I have now—objects, skills... and people. Everyone that’s with ."
He exhaled through his nose.
"And to think this was only the Sixth Pillar. There are still five more to go. It’s going to be a long road."
His fingers paused on her fur.
"And now, I’m sure... there’s sothing behind the system. Soone. And behind the missions too. I’ll find out eventually."
A short silence passed.
"I’ve got work to do once we’re back. Council duties—though hopefully Seraphina rembers our agreent that I’m just there for show. I still need to talk to Nicolas. And Balthor too... he’s key to the Fifth Pillar’s ss."
A soft ding echoed in the air.
[System Notification]
Congratulations. Act III complete. Good luck in Act IV.
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