The quiet atmosphere within the private cabin deepened once more after Seraphina repeated her question, the soft glow of the hanging lights casting warm reflections across the polished table while the faint sounds of the restaurant beyond the walls remained distant and muted. Neither woman rushed to speak immediately, yet unlike before, the silence no longer felt uncertain. It felt deliberate, as though both of them understood that whatever was said next would shape the direction of this conversation far more than anything prior.

Aurelia remained calm throughout it all.

She lifted her utensils once again and continued eating with composed elegance, entirely unhurried, as though Seraphina’s question had not cornered her in the slightest. The contrast between them became even clearer in that moment—Seraphina sitting perfectly still, observant and guarded, while Aurelia carried herself with an ease that bordered on unsettling confidence.

Only after a brief pause did Aurelia finally stop, setting her utensils down gently before lifting her gaze toward Seraphina.

"I’m confident," she said simply.

The answer caused the faintest shift in Seraphina’s expression, her brows drawing together ever so slightly as genuine puzzlement surfaced within her eyes.

"...What does that mean?" she asked, her tone calm, though noticeably quieter now.

Aurelia leaned back slightly into her seat, her gaze unwavering as she answered without hesitation.

"It means," she began slowly, her voice carrying a quiet certainty that did not seek validation from anyone else, "that I am confident in myself."

Her fingers rested lightly against the edge of the table.

"And I’m confident in Luca as well."

A faint smile touched her lips then, not arrogant, not possessive, but deeply assured.

"I know," she continued, "that no matter what happens... I will always have a place in his heart."

The words settled naturally, spoken not like hope, but like truth she had already accepted long ago.

"And I know," she added softly, "that we’ll always remain together."

Seraphina remained silent.

Watching.

Listening.

Aurelia’s gaze sharpened just slightly then, though her composure never wavered.

"So tell me, Professor," she said calmly, "do you really think I need to worry about you?"

The question was not mocking.

Nor hostile.

It was simply honest.

Seraphina paused, unable to answer immediately as she sat there looking at Aurelia, perhaps expecting jealousy, resentment, anger—something far more emotional and unstable. Yet what sat before her instead was unwavering certainty, the kind that could not easily be shaken.

Aurelia continued before the silence could stretch too long.

"Then again..." she said, her tone lowering slightly, "that doesn’t mean I’m the kind of woman who would simply allow someone else to take advantage of the man I love."

For the first time since the conversation began, a faint sharpness entered her voice.

"But this situation is different."

Her expression softened again, though only slightly.

"The deed has already happened," she said quietly. "And more importantly..."

A small breath escaped her.

"I know him."

There was warmth in those words.

Absolute trust.

"And I know for certain," she continued, "that Luca will take responsibility for you."

Seraphina’s fingers tightened faintly beneath the table.

Aurelia noticed.

But continued anyway.

"To tell the truth..." she said, her eyes holding Seraphina’s completely now, "I would have been disappointed in him if he hadn’t."

The atmosphere inside the private cabin had grown quieter with every passing moment, the earlier tension no longer sharp or confrontational, but instead layered with something heavier—something far more difficult to dismiss with simple words. The untouched warmth of the lights above reflected softly against the polished table, while outside the sealed cabin, the distant murmur of the restaurant continued on as though the world beyond remained blissfully unaware of the conversation unfolding within.

Seraphina remained silent for a long moment after Aurelia’s words, her gaze lowered slightly as though weighing something internally before she finally let out a slow, restrained sigh.

"Why..." she began quietly, her voice carrying a faint exhaustion beneath its usual composure, "...do both of you keep mentioning responsibility as though it’s something I require?"

Her eyes lifted toward Aurelia again, calm yet far more complicated now.

"Do you really think I need that?"

The question was not bitter.

Nor defensive.

It sounded more like genuine confusion mixed with resignation, as though she could not fully understand why both Luca and Aurelia continued to frame the situation in that way.

"And even if," she continued after a brief pause, "we ignore the fact that he is my student and I am his teacher..."

A faint crease appeared between her brows.

"There is still more than a five-year age gap between us."

The words settled heavily between them.

"What about that?"

Aurelia opened her mouth slightly, clearly intending to answer immediately, yet before she could speak, Seraphina continued, her tone quieter now, though carrying a depth that neither denial nor composure could fully hide.

"There are many things," she said slowly, "that you still cannot understand."

Her gaze drifted away for a brief moment, as though toward thoughts much older than this conversation itself.

"After all... you are still young."

The way she spoke those words did not sound condescending.

If anything—

It sounded distant.

Almost melancholic.

"There are realities," she continued softly, "that cannot be solved simply because feelings exist."

A silence followed that sentence, one that neither woman interrupted immediately.

Then, finally, Seraphina moved.

She stood up from her chair with measured grace, already having finished enough of her meal to no longer have reason to remain seated. Her expression had returned almost entirely to its usual calmness, the earlier cracks in her composure hidden once more beneath the poised demeanor she wore so naturally.

"Thank you for tonight," she said politely, her voice steady once again.

Then she turned.

Prepared to leave.

But just before she could take another step—

Aurelia spoke.

"He will not stop."

The words were quiet.

Certain.

They reached Seraphina before she reached the door.

And for the briefest moment—

She paused.

Not turning back.

Not answering.

Just standing there in silence, her figure illuminated softly beneath the warm lights of the cabin as Aurelia’s words lingered behind her.

Then—

Without another word—

Seraphina left.

***

Night had settled deeply over Arcadia Academy, wrapping the sprawling grounds in a calm silence that felt entirely different from the lively atmosphere of the day. The pathways, once filled with students and conversation, now stood mostly empty beneath the pale silver glow of moonlight, while a cool breeze drifted quietly through the trees, carrying with it the faint rustling of leaves and the distant sound of water.

Luca walked through that silence without any real destination in mind.

His hands rested loosely in his pockets, his pace unhurried as his thoughts wandered from one thing to another without pause, refusing to settle on any single thread for long.

His breakthrough.

The strange smoothness in his mana after reaching Core Compression.

The unsettling ease with which his strength had risen afterward.

Then—

Seraphina.

The classroom.

Her reactions.

The way her composure had slipped again and again under something as simple as his attention.

A faint breath escaped him at the memory.

Then his thoughts shifted once more.

To Aurelia.

To their conversation.

To the mountain.

To her unwavering trust in him despite everything that had happened.

A small smile touched his lips unconsciously before fading again as another image surfaced within his mind.

Dark hair.

A faint violet tint beneath moonlight.

Ghostly pale skin.

Those abyss-like eyes.

The mysterious woman.

The memory of her presence lingered more vividly than he wanted to admit, not just because of what had happened between them, but because nothing about her made sense. The way she had appeared inside the academy unnoticed, the overwhelming pressure she carried, the strange connection between her and the black smoke that had plagued him afterward—

None of it added up.

"...Just who are you?" he muttered quietly beneath his breath.

The question disappeared into the night unanswered.

Luca continued walking aimlessly, following familiar pathways without truly paying attention to where his feet carried him, until eventually the sound of water grew clearer, softer, calmer.

Only then did he realize where he had arrived.

The lake.

Moonlight shimmered across its surface in silver ripples, the quiet water reflecting the night sky almost perfectly while the surrounding trees cast long shadows along the edge. It was peaceful.

Familiar.

Luca stopped for a moment before letting out a faint chuckle under his breath as realization dawned on him.

"...So I ended up here again." 𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

His steps carried him forward instinctively, his gaze drifting toward the usual spot near the edge of the lake—

Only for his brows to furrow slightly.

No one was there.

The place stood empty beneath the moonlight.

Luca stared for a brief moment longer before shaking his head faintly at himself, a quiet sigh escaping him.

"...Of course she can’t be here all the time, you idiot," he muttered under his breath, amused at his own expectation.

Turning away from the lake, he prepared to leave.

But before he could take more than a step—

A voice reached him from behind.

"...Where are you going?"