The discharge shot from Nyx’s hand like a compressed blue line, and Aoi reacted instantly.

Eclipse moved upward and collided with the magic before it could hit her body directly. Electricity exploded around the sword and spread across the wooden floor of the room.

The light illuminated the entire room for a second.

Aoi only stepped back half a pace.

Nyx widened her eyes in surprise.

’She blocked it...’

Aoi advanced again without hesitation.

Nyx raised her other hand and launched three small fire projectiles toward different angles of the room. None of them were aimed directly at Aoi.

Two struck the curtains, and the third hit the ceiling.

The flames immediately began to spread.

Aoi ignored the fire and attacked again.

Nyx dodged backward and used wind beneath her feet to propel herself out of Eclipse’s trajectory. The blade sliced through the center table and split it in half.

The woman on the couch frowned when she saw the fire approaching the curtains.

"Are you trying to burn down the mansion?"

Nyx raised her left hand, and the water from a shattered vase floated into the air behind Aoi.

A second later, it transformed into ice needles.

Aoi barely turned her head, and Eclipse cut through the needles before they could touch her back.

Nyx was already moving again.

She never stopped changing positions or repeating trajectories.

She used every object in the room as a temporary obstacle to alter Aoi’s attack angle, but Aoi kept reaching her anyway.

The physical difference between them was far too obvious.

The fourth strike barely grazed Nyx’s neck, the fifth destroyed part of the floor, and the sixth sliced off one of the couch’s armrests that Nyx had used for cover.

’She’s still speeding up.’

Nyx raised both hands.

Several lines of earth burst through the floor between her and Aoi, creating uneven terrain.

The room’s surface warped enough to affect Aoi’s balance and running direction.

Aoi stepped onto one of the raised sections and lost speed for just an instant.

Nyx took advantage of it to fire a burst of compressed wind straight at Aoi’s face.

Aoi shielded her eyes with her arm.

Nyx extended her other hand toward the ceiling, and the main chandelier came crashing down.

Aoi cut it apart midair.

Nyx was already preparing another spell.

The flow of energy around her body increased along with the room’s temperature.

The woman on the couch finally set her teacup down on the table.

"So this is the true level of the Solynmar heiress..."

Nyx didn’t respond.

Four small fire circles appeared around Aoi.

Aoi spun Eclipse and destroyed two with a cutting wave.

Nyx activated the other two before impact.

The explosions filled the room with smoke.

Aoi passed through the smoke immediately, but Nyx was no longer in front of her.

She was above.

She had used wind to propel herself onto one of the ceiling’s side beams.

Aoi looked up.

Nyx pointed her palm downward, and the floor beneath Aoi froze instantly.

Aoi lost her footing.

Nyx fired electricity.

The discharge ran through the ice and struck Aoi’s legs directly.

Aoi’s body tensed from the impact.

Nyx jumped down from the ceiling immediately and gave her no time to recover.

She created a wall of earth between Aoi and the woman on the couch.

The woman opened her eyes slightly.

Nyx finally spoke coldly.

"I’ll have to deal with you myself."

The woman smiled.

"You don’t dare attack me directly, do you?"

Nyx stayed silent because it was true.

The woman noticed immediately.

"You’re still a coward."

At that moment, Aoi burst through the earth wall.

Parts of her uniform were burned, and small spasms ran through her arms, but she kept moving.

Nyx retreated immediately.

Eclipse came down vertically, and Nyx created a barrier of compressed water.

The sword pierced through the barrier, but it lost enough speed for Nyx to move away before taking the full impact.

The blade still managed to cut part of her shoulder.

Nyx grimaced in pain.

Aoi raised the sword again.

"I’m getting you out of my way!"

Nyx breathed slowly.

’It’d be better to finish this now.’

The energy around her body rose once more, and the room’s air began vibrating slightly.

Aoi attacked again.

Nyx raised two fingers, and the fire on the curtains suddenly spread across the ceiling.

Heat filled the entire room, but Aoi ran straight through the flames.

Nyx stomped the floor, and the wood beneath Aoi exploded upward.

Aoi jumped automatically.

That was the goal.

Nyx aimed her right hand and fired compressed wind.

The impact struck Aoi midair and altered her trajectory.

Aoi crashed through a side window and fell into the second-floor outer corridor.

Nyx immediately followed after her.

The corridor was much wider, with better visibility and more space.

Aoi was already getting back up.

Nyx moved her hand to the side, and water burst from the destroyed pipes inside the walls.

Aoi dodged the first streams.

Nyx froze the remaining water mid-motion, and several ice blades surrounded Aoi from different angles.

Aoi destroyed most of them, but two managed to cut her leg and arm.

Nyx continued attacking without stopping.

Each spell forced Aoi to respond to the next one immediately.

Nyx used fire to limit routes, wind to alter movement, ice to punish openings, and electricity to interrupt muscle rhythm.

The precision was absurd.

Takeshi finally appeared at the far end of the corridor, breathing heavily.

His clothes were torn, and visible bruises covered him.

When he saw the state of the place, he froze for a second.

"What the hell happened here?!"

Nyx barely glanced toward him.

"Takeshi?"

Aoi appeared in front of her.

Eclipse came down directly toward her head.

Nyx reacted on instinct, and a wall of earth rose from the floor between them.

The sword partially pierced the barrier.

The tip stopped inches from Nyx’s face.

Takeshi felt a chill run down his spine.

’That was way too close!’

The woman used that moment to run toward the stairs.

Takeshi spotted her immediately.

"Hey!"

He ran toward her.

The woman tried to activate something with her hand, but Takeshi slammed her arm against the wall before she could.

"You’ve caused enough trouble already."

The woman struggled to break free.

"Let go of me, you damn brat! Do you even know what you’re doing?!"

Nyx raised her hand from the other end of the corridor.

Several earth chains trapped the woman’s legs against the floor.

Aoi attacked again, but Nyx barely dodged and finally made a decision.

The energy around her body concentrated completely into her right palm.

’Fire, electricity, wind, compression.’

Everything mixed together with extreme precision.

The woman widened her eyes when she realized what Nyx was preparing.

"Wait, think about your father!"

Nyx fired.

The projectile shot through the corridor like a white bolt of lightning and struck the woman directly in the chest.

The explosion destroyed part of the mansion’s outer wall.

The body fell to the floor without moving.

Only silence remained.

Aoi took one more step and stopped.

Eclipse slowly disappeared from her hand, and her body suddenly lost strength.

Nyx managed to catch her before she hit the floor.

Takeshi rushed over immediately.

"Aoi!"

Nyx quickly checked her breathing.

"She’s alive."

Takeshi slowly let out a breath.

"Thank God..."

He looked around.

The corridor was destroyed, the walls torn open alongside ice marks and remnants of fire, not to mention the collapsed section of the ceiling.

Then he looked at Nyx, who was barely breathing heavily despite everything she had just done.

’So that’s Nyx’s power. Without a doubt, her power rivals Aoi’s...’

Nyx looked up at him.

"I hope my father forgives me."

Takeshi nodded.

"He will."

Nyx lowered her gaze for a few seconds before speaking again.

"I want to ask you something..."

She carefully laid Aoi on the floor and then looked Takeshi in the eyes.

"Can I stay with you?"

Takeshi understood what she meant at that moment.

"Of course."

Nyx slowly stepped closer and hugged him.

Takeshi took a second to react before returning the hug.

Nyx closed her eyes and stayed like that for several seconds without saying anything.

Days later, Takeshi is summoned by Merwyn to the student council room, and on the way there, he begins thinking about the events after the confrontation.

’Aoi woke up without any serious injuries, although she didn’t clearly remember several parts of the fight inside the mansion. Sylion ended up apologizing to Nyx, along with the news regarding what happened to their father’s wife, which the Solynmar family handled internally to avoid a larger public scandal.’

Takeshi arrived at the room and stopped at the entrance.

’And now I have no idea what Merwyn wants with me...’

He walked in and found Merwyn sitting behind her desk.

"Take a seat."

Takeshi obeyed.

"I hope this is quick... I’ve got homework to do."

Merwyn ignored the comment.

"I’m appointing you as part of the student council."

Takeshi stared at her silently for several seconds.

"Sorry, I think I heard that wrong. Can you repeat it?"

"You are now part of the student council."

"Why the hell?!"

Merwyn folded her hands on top of the desk.

"You demonstrated that you possess skills that are very useful to the council."

"Skills?"

"Most people like you."

Takeshi took several seconds to process what he had just heard.

"And because of that, you’re forcing me into the student council?!"

"Yes."

"At least tell me I won’t have to fight other people to the death..."

Merwyn simply smiled without answering, making Takeshi sigh.

"Awesome."

Merwyn observed him for a few seconds.

"I’m glad you accepted peacefully."

"What would’ve happened if I refused?"

"I would’ve had to use my contacts to persuade you."

’This woman scares me.’

That same night, Nyx had dinner with Sylion inside one of the mansion’s smaller dining rooms.

Sylion sat perfectly stiff in his chair while Nyx ate calmly.

"I’m happy I met someone like Takeshi."

Sylion nodded nervously.

"Y-Yeah..."

Nyx set her glass down on the table.

"And... have you already started what I asked for?"

Sylion answered immediately.

"Y-Yes, the house on the outskirts of the city is already under construction."

Nyx smiled faintly.

"Very good."

Sylion swallowed nervously, and Nyx resumed eating as if nothing had happened.

"Keep a close eye on him in the meantime."

"U-Understood!"

"I want everything ready for when I can live together with Takeshi as a happy family."

Sylion felt another chill run down his spine and whispered,

"B-But... did you ask him...?"

Nyx looked at him with a reprimanding gaze.

"Sylion, I don’t recall asking for your opinion."

"F-Forgive me, it won’t happen again!"

"I certainly hope not..."

Nyx continued eating dinner in silence.