"If I wanted to cause you harm, it would have been trivial. Calm down," Leylin said smoothly, releasing hold on her physical frame. "I find your proposal acceptable, but under one condition: I will not swear allegiance, nor will I act as a subordinate. Our relationship will be an equal arrangement based purely on mutual benefit. To demonstrate my sincerity, I have shared both my true name and my actual strength. What is your response?"
Lita took a shaky breath, her initial terror giving way to intense relief mixed with a lingering trace of disappointment.
Realizing the sheer magnitude of the entity standing before her, her posture shifted instantly to one of formal deference.
"Thank you, Lord Luci...Leylin," she replied, bowing her head respectfully. "Her Majesty will certainly accept these terms. In fact, we are prepared to expand our offer, including a high noble title fitting your stature."
Leylin waved his hand dismissively, "I have no interest in titles. You will simply supply the specific resources I request, without delay or excuse."
He paused, allowing a subtle drop of his killing intent to seep into the room as a heavy, suffocating pressure accompanied by the faint, metallic scent of fresh blood. "And you will not attempt to play games."
Cold sweat broke out across Lita's forehead. "Understood! We would never be foolish enough to provoke someone of your caliber."
"Good. Furthermore, you will swear a binding oath never to expose my true identity or my actual strength."
Lita hesitated, looking helpless. "How should I explain this to Her Majesty? She expects a direct account of our meeting."
"Give her a vague outline," Leylin replied indifferently. "She is a Queen; she is not stupid. A subtle hint will be more than enough for her to grasp the boundaries. If she lacks the intellect to understand that much, she is not worth my time as a partner anyway."
As he spoke, dark particles began to swirl around his skin once more, reweaving the visual disguise of the white-haired instructor, Lucian Alister.
"I will swear the oath," Lita agreed without hesitation.
She immediately recited a binding oath on her life to Old Gods. As she spoke, Leylin casually etched a hidden, secondary soul-marker into her mind a quiet safeguard to ensure her compliance even if the verbal oath was somehow circumvented.
While Leylin was strong enough to survive exposure, anonymity served him better.
Dong! Dong!
The heavy brass bells of the central tower echoed through the hallway.
"It seems our conversation took longer than expected," Leylin said, adjusting his cuffs as he stepped toward the door. "Class is about to begin."
Lita watched his back, a complex mix of regret and helplessness washing over her. Earlier, she had viewed Lucian as a talented young scholar, someone she could patronize, guide, and perhaps pursue as an equal using her family's status. Now, that impression was completely shattered.
Leylin was at least a Captain-stage powerhouse. In House Raiz, only her grandfather, the clan's ultimate strategic pillar was at that level. Even high nobility and royal princes treated such figures with extreme caution and the gap between them was an unbridgeable chasm.
Just as he reached the threshold, Leylin paused and glanced back over his shoulder with a subtle smile.
"Now that our formal business is concluded, drop by my villa tonight. We can share... educational insights." He offered a brief, amused wink before stepping out into the corridor, not bothering to wait for an answer.
Lita stood frozen for a moment, her face flushing as the implication sank in. She looked down at her shoes, pouting slightly under her breath. "He didn't even give me a chance to respond..."
___
An hour later, Leylin stood at the podium of the Elite Beast Tamer classroom, his voice carrying clearly across the tiered rows of students.
"...Consequently, Innate Beasts are classified into five distinct talent tiers," Leylin explained, gesturing toward the diagram drafted on the blackboard. "From lowest to highest: Mortal, Earth, Grand, Spiritual, and God. The third tier, Grand Grade, is generally considered the baseline requirement for entry into prestigious academies across the empire. However, it is far below the threshold of this specific room. Every student seated here has been verified to possess Spiritual Grade talent, along with exceptional personal affinity."
He paused, sweeping his eyes across the young noble heirs. "It is your duty to maximize that potential. As for the fifth tier, God Grade talent such entities are anomalies. A standard Empire rarely produces more than one or two per century. Only the Four Great Dynasties possess the resources and ancient bloodlines required to consistently nurture talent at that level."
Dong! Dong!
The bell rang out once more, signaling the end of the period.
"That concludes today's lecture," Leylin said, sweeping his notes off the desk. "Hand in your assignments on your way out. Your next task is to research the interaction between user aptitude and innate beast traits. No beast strain is entirely useless; it is simply a matter of developing a compatible methodology. Dismissed."
Without waiting for questions or observing the students as he normally did, Leylin walked directly out of the classroom, making his way toward the administrative tower to meet with Principal Keith Henry.
As Leylin navigated the quiet stone corridors leading to the upper floors, he felt a subtle presence tailing him from a distance.
His perception picked up the light, rhythmic footsteps instantly. He had been keeping a close eye on this specific individual for some time.
Reaching a sharp turn in the hallway, Leylin stepped around the stone corner and stopped, leaning his shoulder casually against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest.
A moment later, a young girl rounded the corner at a brisk pace, nearly colliding with him.
"Ah!" She gasped, jumping back in surprise as she found her instructor standing directly in her path, looking down at her.
"Why are you following me, Miss Rhea Allen?" Leylin asked smoothly, tilting his head. "What can I do for you?"