Reaching the base of the grand stairs, Zephyrion gave Ingrid a curt nod.

"Hey."

"Hey."

She returned it, then faced forward. A moment of silence passed.

"He summoned you?" Ingrid asked.

"Yes." Zephyrion answered. "You too?"

"Yeah..."

After that, they both faced forward, the hall silent. But as the seconds passed, Zephyrion found himself throwing glances at Ingrid.

After their previous talk, he’d found a weird feeling in his chest threatening to burst out. It was only after thorough analysis that he discovered it was gratitude. For the help she’d offered. Standing before Ingrid now, he felt the sudden urge to thank her.

But he inwardly shook his head.

There was a familiar aura around her. A cold, detached air that practically screamed she didn’t want to talk. Besides, he’d seen the way she reacted during the party, and in her office.

’She doesn’t like being thanked.’

He’d done it once already. That was enough.

Zephyrion silenced his mind and buried the feeling deep inside. Then he stared at the throne and waited, trying to determine why Kastor had summoned them.

Several moments passed.

Then, to Zephyrion’s surprise, Ingrid turned to him with a strange look. Her eyes lingered on him, her expression unusually stiff. It looked as though she was forcing herself to say something.

"I heard about the attack on Mount Ferravyr." She scoffed. "The bastards dared do such a thing within our territory. Once we find out who it is, we’ll make them regret it."

Zephyrion hoped they would never find him. The cost was not something they could bear. He pushed the thought aside. Ingrid was still staring at him.

What else was there to say?

"So..." She cleared her throat. "What about you? I heard you were close. Were you hurt?"

Zephyrion stared.

"I mean..." Ingrid let out a short laugh. "Not that it matters. Obviously. But you’re the Prime. If you got injured that easily, it’d be embarrassing for everyone involved."

She folded her arms.

"A Prime should be difficult to kill. That’s, like... the whole point."

She stared at him.

"You weren’t hurt, right?"

That’s why she asked? To confirm whether or not he’d shamed the title of Prime?

Zephyrion stared at her. The strange look still lingered on her face, and she seemed to be waiting for a response.

"I wasn’t hurt."

"Good."

Ingrid nodded immediately.

"Good. That would’ve been embarrassing."

She faced forward without another word. Zephyrion didn’t see it, having done the same, but the corner of her lips curled upward slightly.

In silence, they waited for their summoner to arrive. Soon, the announcer’s voice rang through the hall.

"HEAD OF HOUSE CALDERALTH HAS ARRIVED."

Zephyrion couldn’t help but wonder whether or not that announcer ever took breaks. The man still performed his duties with absolute reverence, despite the fact that it wasn’t really necessary. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

He discarded the idle thought as he sank to one knee alongside Ingrid.

"We greet the Head of Calderalth."

"Stand."

They rose, lifting their heads to find Kastor silently staring at them. The weight of his gaze was heavy. Neither of them spoke. After several seconds, they found themselves exchanging an uneasy glance.

Ingrid, who evidently couldn’t take it anymore, cleared her throat.

"Fath—"

"I’ll teach you both Titan Armor."

Zephyrion froze. Beside him, Ingrid was no different.

Who didn’t know of the infamous Titan Armor of Calderalth? The singular rune art that made Calderalth feared throughout the Ferran Empire, throughout the continent.

Every major branch of Calderalth possessed a version of it, with members of the knight line being granted one upon joining. Yet all of them, in the end, stemmed from the original, a rune art traditionally passed down only to the Head of House.

But the shock quickly gave way to bafflement. An art known only to the Head of House was usually reserved for their heir. However, Kastor had just said both of them.

Ingrid was the first to recover.

"Em, father, the both of us? That’s—"

"You don’t want it?"

"What? No!"

The answer came so quickly that even Zephyrion glanced at her. Ingrid stiffened. Then she coughed into her fist and straightened.

"I mean... No, Lord Calderalth. That isn’t what I meant."

Kastor frowned, but still nodded.

"Good."

Then he turned toward Zephyrion. He stared at him for a moment longer than necessary before asking,

"What about you?"

Zephyrion inclined his head.

"I would also like to learn, Lord Calderalth."

Kastor’s frown deepened. For a moment, Zephyrion couldn’t help but wonder if he’d said something wrong. He had bowed and addressed him by his title. What else was there?

"Good."

Kastor said a moment later, somehow easing the tension in Zephyrion’s chest.

A faint sound drew Zephyrion from his thoughts. He turned and found Ingrid with her head lowered, both fists clenched tightly at her sides. Despite her efforts, the corners of her lips kept threatening to rise.

Zephyrion stared. Ingrid seemed to notice his gaze and turned. Their eyes met. Her eyes widened slightly, then she immediately looked away. The smile vanished, replaced by an expressionless mask so quickly that Zephyrion almost wondered if he had imagined it.

’Weird.’

"We’ll begin now." Kastor suddenly said, extending an arm. "Close your eyes and open your minds."

Zephyrion closed his eyes, but the last words made him tense.

He couldn’t help but remember the past, when Ferravyr had pried into his mind. Kastor stood at the same realm, if not higher. What would stop him from entering his mind and finding the fog? Or, more importantly, discovering his multiple elements?

All his secrets would be laid bare.

’Control your breathing.’

Appearing nervous right now would only make the situation worse and give Kastor reason to suspect something was wrong.

Zephyrion subtly exhaled, clearing his mind. His racing heartbeat settled almost instantly. Even when he felt a subtle disturbance in the surroundings, Kastor reaching toward the World Pulse, he remained still and unmoving.

Then a force struck his head.

Zephyrion staggered, clutching it as a torrent of information flooded into his mind. He watched it enter his mindscape before settling beside the Orbiting Element runes.

Several moments later, Zephyrion opened his eyes and found Kastor silently staring at him.

"Did you get it?" Kastor asked.

"...Yes."

Beside him, Ingrid had also opened her eyes. There was an intrigued look on her face, tempered by barely concealed excitement.

He now understood what had happened, and the very thought was maddening. Kastor had just sent a copy of Titan Armor directly into their minds.

The level of control and precision required to manipulate the World Pulse in such a way was difficult to comprehend.

To put it into perspective, even with his talent and absurd comprehension, all Zephyrion could currently do was use the World Pulse to create elements.

But what Kastor had done transcended that. He had used the World Pulse beyond the confines of what a Metal Ascendant should have been capable of.

This was the current pinnacle of humanity.

Once Ingrid confirmed she had received it as well, Kastor addressed them.

"You will go through everything and comprehend as much as you can. In one week, you will both meet me here at this same time and show me your progress."

"Yes, Lord Calderalth."

Again, Kastor frowned, but eventually said nothing.

A moment later, he dismissed them.

...

Zephyrion headed back to his mansion deep in thought.

Teaching both of them Titan Armor, did that mean he was uncertain who the heir would be? He wasn’t sure what was going through Kastor’s head, and the very fact irritated him.

Upon arriving, he checked on Tobias in the training grounds.

The ward’s face was pale and his movements sluggish. Having to faint and wake up repeatedly was no doubt taking a toll on his body.

Still, he hadn’t given up, and that was all that mattered.

It meant he could still change.

Zephyrion watched as he groggily pushed himself upright. After a moment of confusion, Tobias sighed and took a cautious sniff.

’One, two, three...’

By the time Zephyrion reached ten, Tobias was already swaying on his feet, his complexion growing worse by the second.

Eleven. Twelve.

His knees buckled and he began tipping backward, on the verge of fainting. Then his fists suddenly clenched. He held on.

Fourteen. Fifteen.

A shaky smile appeared on Tobias’ face.

"I-I d-did it..."

The words had barely left his mouth before he collapsed onto the ground, unmoving.

Zephyrion stared at him with approval in his eyes. He had just passed the first hurdle. There was more to come, far more, but his tenacity would help him endure.

He lifted the ward and carried him to his room. A moment later, he entered his own and found Lumi still training in the corner.

It was the first time she had ever shown this much dedication to training. He gave her a nod, then settled onto his bed.

First, he cleared his mind of distractions. Then he delved into Titan Armor.

That night, Zephyrion finished comprehending the entirety of the rune.

He opened his eyes shortly after midnight, somehow unable to get the image of Ingrid’s smile out of his mind. If she found out he had comprehended Titan Armor in a single night, she would lose it, right?

He shook his head, clearing the distracting thought.

Then he noticed the empty bed.

’She’s still training?’

He glanced toward the corner, then froze.

Lumi was on the ground, unmoving. Not even her chest was rising.

"What..."

Zephyrion flashed before her, eyes widening. He checked for a pulse. Nothing. He felt for a breath. Nothing.

His heart dropped.

His movements turned sharp and instinctive as he immediately began applying pressure to her chest in continuous bursts.

What the hell had happened? She had been fine just hours ago. How had she ended up like this? A more sickening thought surfaced.

How long had she been like this? Her body was cold. Her face was pale. Zephyrion swallowed. Had something happened while he was meditating?

Had she been attacked? Poisoned? She must have tried to call for help. But his eyes had been closed. She couldn’t talk. She couldn’t talk, dammit!

How long had he been doing this? Ten seconds? Twenty? He’d lost track. He was an idiot. He was such an idiot. Such a simple thing, and he had still failed.

If he had kept his eyes open, maybe he would have noticed. Maybe he would have seen her struggling. Maybe he could have done something. Now she was cold. Her heart no longer beat.

She was...

She was gone?