Lyle sat at the edge of the sparring field, his arms crossed over his knees, watching the other students practice burst casting in waves.
He wasn't part of the drill.
He hadn't been invited.
And that was fine.
That was the plan.
The aftermath of the Arena Challenge had left most cadets buzzing—but not about him.
The story had spread like wildfire.
"Mana Breaker taken down by a clumsy accident."
No one believed it was deliberate.
Not the instructors.
Not the cadets.
Except one.
Juno had stopped him in the corridor two hours after the match.
"You tripped on purpose."
Lyle blinked innocently. "I trip a lot."
"You're lying again."
He didn't confirm it.
Didn't need to.
She didn't press further—but he knew she wouldn't forget.
> Let her chase smoke. Better than chasing the flame.
---
That evening, he returned to his quarters to find a letter slipped into the crease of his cot.
No wax seal. No sigil.
Just a folded parchment with a single line:
> "Midnight. Greenhouse 4. Come alone."
He turned it over.
Nothing.
No trace of mana. No detection glyphs.
It was real. It was physical.
Which meant someone had gotten close enough to deliver it by hand.
---
Greenhouse 4 was supposed to be locked at night.
Lyle arrived ten minutes early. Watched from the shadows.
At 11:56, the lock disengaged with a faint click.
The door opened.
He stepped inside.
Warm, humid air wrapped around him. Rows of magical flora glowed faintly—pale blue vines, rust-red blossoms, a stalk that pulsed with slow, visible heartbeats.
At the far end stood a figure.
Short.
Cloaked.
And when she pulled back the hood, Lyle froze.
Not in fear—but in recognition.
> Kirin Vale.
A student three years his senior. Supposedly failed last year. Supposedly reassigned to administrative duties.
But she looked sharper now. More confident.
And her eyes glowed softly with a shimmer like reflected moonlight.
"Congratulations," she said quietly. "The Arena test was impressive."
Lyle said nothing.
She stepped closer.
"You passed the second screening. But the Veiled Path… they're slow. Careful. Too careful. We're not like them."
> We?
"There's a deeper current under this academy, Lyle. You already know it. You feel it. You've been touching it without knowing its name."
"What do you want?"
"To offer you something they won't."
She reached into her sleeve and pulled out a shard of black glass.
It hummed faintly. Fought against the light.
"Say yes," she whispered, "and we'll make sure no one ever cages you again. No ranking system. No talent report. No bloodline test. Just power. On your terms."
Lyle stared at it.
Not reaching.
Not refusing.
> They think I'm one of them. But they don't know I already chose my side.
He forced a smile. Calculated. Cold.
"I'll think about it."
---
Later that night, back in his room, the Codex responded without being called.
> [New Threat Class Logged: Whisper Consortium – Grade C]
Faction active within academy. Unknown agenda. Counterstrategies advised.
[Passive Trait "Deceive to Control" has evolved.]
Unlocked: Bluff Resonance — Lying becomes easier when others already suspect a different truth.
*[Path Fragment Detected. Third Tier Influence Available Soon.]
Lyle stared at the glyph flickering across his vision.
And for the first time in days…
He laughed.
Soft.
Controlled.
But real.