We head to the nearest Oathmark, in the center of Azure Prime.

Even after two lives in Thirstfall, those structures still manage to give me a certain discomfort.

The monolith rises in the middle of the main square with a gigantic presence, pointed up at the ocean sky above us. Unlike the usual needle-like spires found elsewhere, the one here in Azure Prime takes the form of a massive arch. While every Oathmark is unique in its design, they all share two things in common: the ancient runes and the sheer scale. This particular arch looks carved from some mineral impossible to exist naturally. Bluish runes travel across its entire surface in slow, pulsing lines, like blood vessels carrying pure OXI through a sleeping creature.

People come and go around it, always paying attention to its presence.

Everything important happens around it, as if the most essential things to life in Thirstfall begin right there.

Messages.

Contracts.

Transfers.

Distress calls.

Promises.

Teleportation.

And the way back home... Earth.

Oathmarks support not only Azure Prime, but every city in Thirstfall—more than any king or guild would ever admit.

"So this is where you do it?" Rhayne asks, observing the monolith with an almost childlike curiosity. "I thought it was only for teleporting..."

"It is. We do a lot of things at the Oathmark. From formalizing contracts to mailing a letter." I walk over to one of the secondary platforms connected to the main monolith’s base. "The central monolith handles the heavy processing, but regular users interact through these smaller terminals."

She approaches cautiously while I pull the letter and the contract out of my inventory.

"Pay attention." I rest the paper into the metal opening of the terminal. "First you position the letter here."

The surface emits a soft glow as soon as the paper touches the scanner.

"After that, the system asks for the recipient’s code."

A translucent panel appears in front of me immediately, composed of runes and alphanumeric characters. A screen, with no physical display.

Rhayne’s eyes widen. Her reaction is expected. Even Earth’s most advanced quantum tech doesn’t come close to a magical one.

"Wow..."

"Every user registered under the Ocean’s Law has a unique identifier." I slowly type in the sequence Zhang Xi gave me at the arena. "You can use a mail number or direct ID. The ID avoids mistakes."

"It seems so... modern."

"That’s because you’ve never needed to use it." I finish the sequence. "Now watch. It’s actually similar to Earth."

The opening glows a single time.

FLASH.

Like the quick snap of a camera shutter.

Right after, a message appears on my HUD.

[Message dispatched to user Zhang Xi. Thank you.]

Rhayne stares at the terminal as if she’s just witnessed divine magic.

"It’s ridiculously easy..."

"Thirstfall complicates what should be simple and simplifies what should be impossible."

She clearly doesn’t understand half the sentence, but pretends she does.

I do the same with our partnership agreement contract, registering it in the system. I don’t have a skill like Sharma’s to handle it directly. We still have to file everything here.

We start walking back along the main avenue of Azure Prime while the city’s movement carries on intensely around us. Merchants shout promotions, Drowneds haul crates between commercial corridors, and groups of Divers cross the streets with gear hanging off their bodies like soldiers returning from war.

In the middle of that crowd, I glance sideways at Rhayne.

"Now I need you to find Veric."

"Hm?"

"Help him with his father." I keep my tone casual. "It’ll be good for the king to know you better."

"Ehhh?" She blinks rapidly a few times. "Why would the king want to see me?"

"Because you’re special." I shrug. "You’re just the only one who hasn’t noticed it yet."

The answer makes Rhayne lower her eyes to her own gloved hands.

The silence that follows isn’t uncomfortable. It feels more... distant. Thoughtful.

Her life has changed so absurdly fast since she joined our group that I can’t begin to guess what’s passing through her head right now. And honestly?

I prefer it that way.

Far better than the fate she had in the other timeline.

I give her space to process her own thoughts while we keep walking side by side down the main road. The sea wind blows between the tall buildings of Azure Prime, carrying that metallic smell typical of Thirstfall mixed with the aroma of street food cooked over OXI.

When we reach the split between the path to the academy and the road leading to the castle, I lightly touch her shoulder.

Rhayne practically jumps from the startle.

"Ah! That scared me..."

"Hey." I point in the direction of the castle. "Go this way."

She blinks a few times, clearly snapping out of some internal trance.

"Contact Veric when you arrive. He’ll get you inside."

"Okay..." Rhayne nods slowly. "See you later."

We split there.

I watch her disappear into the flow of the avenue for a few seconds before turning the other way.

The weather is pleasant today.

Too good.

That usually means trouble. 𝒻𝑟𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝑛𝘰𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝘤𝘰𝘮

While returning to the library, I decide to make a strategic stop at the academy’s shop. I buy a few smoke bombs, two sets of metal darts, and a compact grapple hook that clips onto my belt.

Spending too much time relaxing with my squad is starting to soften my mindset.

That’s dangerous.

I force my brain back into operational mode.

People count.

Escape routes.

Blind spots.

Distance between buildings.

Possible elevated positions for observation.

When I come to, I’m already standing in front of the academy library again.

The building is absurdly elegant. I noticed the interior earlier, but my mind, focused on the letter, hadn’t registered the external architecture.

Tall white pillars support the main structure while gigantic windows reflect the ocean sky above as bluish mirrors. Sea vines climb up the side walls, and small runes glow discreetly between the pale, almost white stone blocks—powering internal systems of climate control and preservation.

It looks less like a library and more like a temple dedicated to knowledge.

I take a deep breath before entering.

The interior silence hits me immediately.

Unlike the constant chaos of Azure Prime, this place seems to exist outside time. Coming and going twice in the same day leaves me a little disoriented. The sound of footsteps is muffled by the dark carpets between the shelves, and the smell of old paper mixed with the soft aroma of ink creates a strangely relaxing sensation, especially compared to the food smell I had been breathing on the streets a few minutes ago.

I return to the strategic table I had chosen earlier and sit casually while discreetly studying the surroundings. I grab some book at random and pretend to read.

’Who would be summoning me here?’

My first hypothesis is still Rae. After our last encounter, maybe he wants to renegotiate something. The political situation inside the academy must be a mess after the fight with Freya and me rebelling against him.

Kaelen is also possible.

Maybe the headmaster has finally decided to pull on my ear officially.

Or worse.

An envoy from Rahul Sharma.

That option bothers me deeply.

I look at the clock.

Two minutes left.

Anxiety and time have always been natural enemies, so I simply stop overthinking it and just watch the main entrance of the library.

14:05.

No one I know walks in.

My stomach sinks slightly.

Because that only means one thing.

The person hasn’t entered, because they didn’t need to enter.

They’re already in here.

And maybe watching me the entire time.