"Esdeath?... Esdeath?"
Lortell's voice pulled through the quiet room. She was standing near the table, but her eyes were fixed on the corner where Esdeath stood, staring at nothing like she had been frozen in place.
Hearing her name again, Esdeath's ears twitched, and the fog in her mind slowly cleared. She blinked and turned her head.
"Ah… yes?" she asked, her tone a little delayed, like someone waking from a dream.
Lortell tilted her head with a faint smirk. "Nothing. You just looked like you were trapped in your own little world," she teased. Then, after a short pause, her smirk deepened. "Should I hire a maid? You must be tired doing homework for the both of us after academy hours."
Esdeath shook her head almost instantly. "No need. I'm perfectly fine with it!" she answered quickly, perhaps a little too quickly.
There was no way she would allow a maid in here. Too many things were hidden in this room—things no stranger could be allowed to see. And besides… Maruti could come to visit her anytime. A maid's presence would only make things complicated.
---
Meanwhile, in the neighboring building, inside Maruti's room…
Brenna—Ethan's mother—was sitting on the sofa, her head buried against Maruti's shoulder. Her body trembled as she cried, her tears soaking the side of Maruti's clothes. For nearly half an hour, she let everything out—every drop of pain, guilt, and regret she had carried for years.
When the sobs finally slowed, Brenna drew in a long, shaky breath. Her shoulders loosened, and a strange warmth began to spread in her chest. The heavy chains around her heart seemed to break one by one, and her whole body felt light, almost floating. It was as if sunlight had been poured into her veins.
That bliss wasn't just relief—But also Maruti's Halo of Happiness, an aura that wrapped around people and replaced their sorrow with a quiet, addictive joy.
Maruti, however, only let out a quiet sigh in her heart. "Finally… she's done crying," she thought, glancing down at the tear-streaked woman resting against her.
But then… Brenna's blue eyes slowly lifted, glistening like freshly polished crystals. She leaned in closer, her gaze locked on Maruti's lips. There was no doubt in her mind—Brenna was expecting a kiss.
Maruti noticed it immediately. She leaned her head slightly back, her tone turning calm but serious.
"Are you sure about what you're doing?" she asked, her eyes narrowing. "I'll destroy your life."
Her warning hung in the air like a spark before a storm.
But Brenna didn't flinch. She didn't speak either—because her mind was already made up. She had run from these feelings long enough.
In one swift movement, she gently pushed Maruti, making her lean back against the sofa cushions. Brenna climbed onto her lap, their faces now only a breath apart. Her voice was low and sultry when she whispered:
"I want to be destroyed by you."
And before Maruti could say another word, Brenna closed the distance, pressing her lips firmly against hers in a deep, hungry kiss.
--------
Later that night, around three or four in the morning—when most people were deep in sleep—the academy dorms were silent. In one of the rooms, a small figure was curled up under the blankets. At first glance, it looked like a flat-chested girl with a tiny, delicate frame and two soft, golden wolf ears twitching faintly on top of their head.
But this was no girl. It was Corin.
He was sleeping soundly, his breathing calm and steady.
In his dream, he found himself sitting on a bed, talking to a girl with long silver hair and a calm, unreadable face. Something about her felt strangely familiar, like he had known her for years, but he couldn't place where or when they had met.
It was Cassandra—Lortell's younger sister.
"So… you're currently enslaved?" she asked in a quiet, emotionless tone. "What is she planning?"
Corin didn't hesitate, as if speaking to his most trusted friend. "I don't know much. But… she's making Maruti pretend to be a charlatan, an incarnation of the goddess, to fool people. And maybe… she's planning to work with the revolutionary group to overthrow the king's rule."
Cassandra listened without interrupting, her silver eyes steady on him. She gave a slow nod. "Good."
She rose from the bed, her expression still blank. "Once I'm gone, you'll forget that you ever met me. But you will keep trying—without knowing why—to find out more about Esdeath's plans."
Her voice was flat, but the command sank deep into his mind. Without another word, she turned toward the door. As she stepped forward, her body dissolved into the air, disappearing into the void.
---
Meanwhile, in Cassandra's own private room, her eyes opened. The world outside was still wrapped in darkness, but there was a faint golden glow in the distance.
She pushed aside her blanket and stood up. After washing her face and brushing her teeth, she slipped out for a morning walk. The air was cool, and the quiet paths of the academy grounds felt almost empty. Her steps were slow, her breathing steady, as she circled around the buildings.
After half an hour, she returned to her room. She took a short bath, steam curling around her pale skin, and then dressed herself in her academy uniform.
There were still more than two hours before classes started, so she sat down at her desk and opened an old, leather-bound grimoire. Her eyes scanned through the dense pages, turning them one after another, the soft rustle filling the silence.
Then—ding-dong.
The bell by her door rang once, then stopped.
She rose from her chair and walked toward the entrance. When she opened the door, she saw that a thin file case had been slid inside.
Bending down, she picked it up and opened it. Inside were photographs—images of a deep chasm where countless slaves toiled without rest, breaking and refining essence stones. Their bodies looked frail and exhausted, their faces hollow with misery.
Under the stack of photos was a small letter, written in neat handwriting:
"This is one of the places. This is it for now. In the future, I'll bring more."
—Esdeath Crimson.
Cassandra's silver eyes lingered on the letter for a moment before she let out the faintest sigh, her face still unreadable.
"I gave you a chance to be Arch-Duke," she murmured softly, "and yet you chose to side with Lortell."
Her fingers closed the file with quiet precision.
"It seems… I need to change my plans," she whispered to herself, her voice as calm as ever. "And look much deeper into your past."
----------
A few hours later, when the academy day began, instead of heading straight to their classrooms, Esdeath and Maruti slipped away to the rooftop. The early morning breeze brushed past them as they leaned on the railing, gazing down at the sprawling academy grounds below.
"Do you think I have some kind of magnet that attracts girls?" Maruti asked casually, her voice light but with a strange undertone.
Esdeath frowned and glanced at her. "What are you trying to say?"
"Uhh… nothing." Maruti quickly shook her head, turning her eyes away. She had no intention of telling Esdeath about what happened with Brenna. Honestly, she didn't even know what to call Ethan anymor—Her step son, or… something else? If Esdeath ever found out, Maruti was sure the only thing she'd get was a slap across the face.
Esdeath returned her gaze to the view below, her expression unreadable. "Stop thinking about weird things. The reporters might come any time. Be ready to play your role as the Goddess."
A small smirk tugged at the corner of her lips. "Who knows… you might even become a constellation one day."
"A constellation? Why would I? I don't even really know what they are," Maruti sighed, moving to stand beside Esdeath, resting her arms on the railing.
Esdeath didn't bother explaining. She simply waited, expecting a rush of news reporters or interviewers to appear. But minutes passed. The rooftop remained quiet, and below, the academy life went on as normal.
It was already time for their first class, and still—no commotion. Esdeath's brows furrowed slightly. "Maybe they'll come later. Let's go attend classes as usual and wait patiently. You should always be ready to act like a charlatan at any moment."
Turning on her heel, she headed for the rooftop door, her steps confident.
"Of course I am," Maruti replied with a smirk, walking alongside her. "Am I any less than some sham deity?"
------------
Once they reached the ground floor, they parted ways. Today's schedule was for practical lessons, not theory. All the students gathered in the gymnasium for their warm-up routine, where the teachers would also assess their physical condition. After that, sparring matches would begin again.
Esdeath already knew that Kailith would be looking for a chance to ambush Maruti, so she kept her distance.
They went first to the girls' locker room to change into gym clothes. Esdeath pulled on a black sports bra and tight-fitting black leggings that clung to her toned legs. Maruti, on the other hand, wore ruched-butt gym shorts that curved perfectly around her hips, along with a matching crop top tied into a knot just above her waist.
When they stepped out, the warm-up began. Esdeath focused on her stretches, her breathing steady and precise, while Maruti moved to the weight area. She bent forward slightly as she lifted a pair of dumbbells, her reddish-brown hair swaying with each motion, her golden-brown eyes calm but sharp.
From across the gym, Kailith and Alice sat in a shadowed corner, their gazes locked on Maruti. Neither of them spoke at first—their eyes following the slow flex of her back and the subtle movements of her body.
Their tails swayed lazily behind them, but the rhythm betrayed their excitement.
"Tonight is going to be fantastic," Kailith murmured under her breath, a small, eager smile curling her lips.
"No doubt about it," Alice replied, her eyes gleaming as a bit of drool slipped from the corner of her mouth.
Kailith was so focused on Maruti's every movement that she almost jumped when she suddenly heard a voice beside her. Only then did she realize Alice had been sitting right next to her the whole time.
"What are you doing here?" Kailith asked, her red eyes narrowing into a frown.
Alice met her glare without a hint of fear, her own eyes sharp.
"Oh… so it's you, Arlecchino," Kailith said casually, recognizing who was in control.
"Yes," Arlecchino replied with a smirk. "We made an agreement—four hours under my control, then the next four hours belong to her. Of course, if she's in danger, I'll take over by force."
Kailith gave no reply, turning her attention back to the sight of Maruti lifting dumbbells. Her eyes lingered on the way Maruti's reddish-brown hair swayed slightly with each repetition, the faint sheen of sweat catching the light.
None of the teachers tried to interrupt Kailith. Everyone in the gym knew her reputation—her strength surpassed even most of the instructors. She was free to do whatever she pleased.
Elsewhere in the gym, however, things were less impressive.
"Come on, Valen, it's only twenty kilos—you can do it!" a teacher encouraged.
But poor Valen was struggling so badly that he barely managed a single rep before giving up, his arms trembling as if the dumbbells weighed a hundred kilos.
Kailith looked away, disinterested, but her gaze caught movement. Cassandra was walking directly toward her.
"Greetings. It seems this is our first conversation," Cassandra said in her usual flat, emotionless tone.
"It seems so. Why are you here?" Kailith asked, puzzled.
"I've heard about your strength… and your personality. I know you're the kind of person who prefers to get straight to the point, so I will." Cassandra sat down beside Kailith and Arlecchino without hesitation.
She began explaining her plan—to take down Lortell, to bring justice to those who had suffered, and to gather a team of strong individuals who might one day even be capable of killing the Demon King.
Kailith listened silently, her eyes half-lidded as she thought. "I am… at odds with Lortell," she muttered after a pause.
Cassandra's gaze shifted to Arlecchino. "The offer is for you as well. I think you have great potential. If you accept, I can even promote you to Class A."
Arlecchino's throat tightened, and she swallowed hard. Being in Class A meant being closer to Maruti. That alone was more than tempting.
But before she could answer, Kailith's eyes drifted back to Maruti—and froze. Maruti was looking directly at her. Their gazes locked for a moment before Maruti gave the smallest shake of her head.
Kailith instantly understood. She turned back to Cassandra. "I'll need some time to think about this."
Arlecchino blinked, surprised. For someone as hot-blooded as Kailith, turning down such an offer seemed completely out of character. Something wasn't right.
"I'll need some time to think about it too," Arlecchino added, masking her suspicion.
Cassandra nodded. "Take your time. I'll be leaving then." She stood, her movements smooth and precise, like a porcelain doll brought to life, and began walking away with quiet elegance.
As she reached the edge of the gym, her mind stirred. "To think this untamed tyrant is actually tamed by someone… I need to investigate Maruti's background as well."