"That's…"

For the first time, the crowned princess of the Germonia Empire faltered under the weight of his gaze.

Snow lowered her eyes, fingers tightening slightly around her lunch box.

The pressure in the air was heavy—far heavier than any battlefield she had stood on.

After a moment, she let out a slow breath, then another, steadying herself.

"…Alright," she said quietly. "I'll explain."

She lifted her head and spoke, carefully choosing her words.

She told Riley about the dream that kept returning.

About the mirror.

About the cold presence that felt like herself—but not quite.

About the strange certainty that something inside her had changed since the incident before.

And finally, she told him about asking Seo to strike her down.

About wanting to know whether that power would activate on its own… whether she was still herself.

When she finished, silence settled over the table.

Riley didn't speak right away. He simply watched her, his expression steady, unreadable.

Snow felt her chest tighten under that gaze far more than she ever had under the crowd's cheers.

She turned to Seo then.

Seo was still pouting slightly, arms crossed, clearly unhappy.

"…Truly," Snow said, bowing her head. "I'm really sorry, Seo. I won't ever ask you to do something like that again. I promise."

Seo didn't respond immediately.

Instead, she glanced at Riley, as if asking what she should do.

Riley shook his head once, calm and firm.

This was between them.

Snow stepped closer and gently took Seo's hand, her grip careful, almost hesitant. When Seo looked up, Snow met her eyes without turning away.

"Seo… please forgive me."

Seo's lips trembled slightly.

"I know what I did was wrong," Snow continued softly. "I was selfish. I scared you. You can be angry at me if you want… but please don't hate me."

For a long moment, Seo said nothing.

Then—

"…I don't hate you."

Snow's eyes widened slightly.

"Then—"

"But," Seo interrupted, turning her face away, cheeks puffed slightly, "I won't forgive you just yet."

Snow blinked. Then, slowly, her expression softened into a relieved smile.

"…That's fair," she said. "I'll do everything I can to make it up to you."

Seo glanced at her again, still clearly upset—but not pushing her away.

Watching the two of them slowly ease back into place, Riley finally let out a quiet sigh he hadn't realized he was holding.

For now, things were settled.

Even if…

He still wasn't fully satisfied with Snow's explanation.

Does this have something to do with your plans again, Evelyn?

The thought surfaced quietly, but it refused to fade.

Considering what had happened with Stacia, it was the most likely answer.

His clone—his other self—had never truly bothered hiding her involvement.

She never lied outright, only nudged things along, shifting events just enough to reach an outcome she desired.

And every time, the result benefited him.

That was the problem.

Evelyn only acted when she believed it was necessary for his future, for his happiness.

Riley knew that much better than anyone.

But if she was now touching Snow as well—interfering with her dreams, her memories, her soul—then she should also know one thing clearly.

He wouldn't just let it slide.

Riley exhaled slowly and shook his head, forcing the thoughts away for now.

Whatever Evelyn was doing, it wasn't something he could confront in the middle of the academy grounds. And more importantly—

Whatever Snow and Stacia were experiencing, it was undeniable that it was making them stronger.

That much, he could feel.

Much like Stacia, Snow's soul had changed.

Riley had seen it when his perception drifted too deep—an enormous frozen domain buried inside her.

Where Stacia's soul burned like a sun, blazing with warmth and overwhelming presence, Snow's was the opposite.

A vast white world.

A frozen castle stood at its center, ancient and silent, surrounded by endless ice and darkness.

Beneath that cold surface flowed something far deeper—an abyss of absolute stillness, illuminated faintly by a pale, cold moonlight.

Even as an ascended being, Riley had been taken aback.

Her soul wasn't just large.

It was terrifyingly vast.

A frozen planet, perhaps even more than that.

"Riley…!"

The voice snapped him back to reality.

"Hm?"

He blinked and looked down, realizing Snow was staring at him with clear worry in her eyes, her cheeks faintly tinted red.

"Is something wrong?" she asked softly.

"No," he replied without thinking. "Everything's fine."

Snow hesitated, then nodded slowly. "I-if that's the case then… maybe we can do what you wanted later…"

Her voice trailed off.

It was then Riley realized his hand was resting squarely against the center of her chest.

Warm. Soft.

He froze.

"Oh—"

He pulled his hand back immediately, awkward and flustered, clearing his throat as if that might somehow erase what just happened.

Snow's face turned red almost instantly, steam practically rising as she looked away.

Seo, who had been silently watching the entire exchange, stared at them with her usual calm expression.

Then she spoke.

"Mine is bigger, Riley."

The words were quiet.

Snow and Riley both froze.

...

"Ahahaha… uhm, Principal, I get that you're having a hard time but… what exactly is this paper?"

Alice held the document with two fingers like it might bite her.

"Please sign it…"

"You know I can't."

Leilah Grace sniffed loudly, her eyes already red and swollen. She grabbed the edge of Alice's coat like it was her last lifeline.

"Please just sign it, Alice. You remember, right? I sponsored your entire first year here before all your other sponsors showed up. Yes, that's right. I was your patron. So now you have to pay me back."

"I don't think it works like that…" Alice sighed, rubbing her temple. "I am grateful, Principal. Truly. I'll help with whatever I can. But this—this is impossible."

Leilah collapsed completely, burying her face against Alice's skirt as she started crying in earnest.

"I can't do it anymore—! The nobles, the board, the festival, the emperor's people—everyone wants something from meeee—!"

"Haha…" Alice laughed awkwardly, patting her back with forced gentleness. "Please don't wipe your tears there…"

She glanced down at the paper again, already knowing what it said but still hoping she had misread it.

Resignation of Principal Leilah Grace

Immediate appointment of successor: Alice Holloway

Alice let out a long, tired sigh.

She knew Leilah had been under a lot of stress lately, but she never imagined it would come to this.

Handing over the academy to a student—no, forcing it on her—was beyond unreasonable.

"Even if you cry this much, there's still a limit to what I can help you with, you know," Alice said gently but firmly. "And asking a student to take over after your retirement won't go over well. Not with the board. Not with the empire. Probably not with anyone."

Leilah lifted her head slowly, eyes shining with desperate hope.

"But you're graduating this year, right? So you won't be a student anymore. You're planning to stay as a professor anyway. And with your talent and prestige, you're more than qualified!"

"That's not the point…"

Alice lowered the paper onto the desk and met Leilah's gaze.

"Being qualified and being acceptable are two very different things. You're asking me to step into a position that took you decades to build, overnight."

Leilah clenched Alice's sleeve again.

"But you're perfect for it! Smart, strong, respected, terrifying when needed—"

"Principal."

"Yes?"

"I'm Eighteen."

Silence filled the room.

Leilah slowly looked away.

"…Age is just a number?"

Alice stared at her.

Leilah sniffed again.

.....

'I will guide you, so focus on one thing…'

That voice again.

Calm. Mature. Hers—but not quite.

Stacia had grown used to hearing it by now.

Every night, without fail, it appeared in her dreams, steady and patient, like an older version of herself watching from a distant future.

'My protection and interference come at a cost. But as long as you don't overclock the blessing I gave you, you should be able to complete it when you face the flaming wolf again…'

The words echoed softly, sinking deep into her mind.

She wanted to ask more. She always did.

But before she could—

FOOOOSHHH!!!

Flames burst outward.

Stacia's eyes snapped open.

Heat washed over her body as she sucked in a sharp breath, sweat sliding down her cheek.

The room around her was dim, quiet, untouched—but her chest burned as if something inside her had just been stirred awake and then sealed shut again.

"…I still can't use it."

Her voice came out hoarse as she pressed a hand against her chest.

Now that she was fully aware of the power sleeping inside her, it felt even worse.

That endless, foreign energy was there—she could feel it clearly—but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't draw it out.

Not even a fraction.

Ever since her fight with Flamme, nothing had moved forward.

The swordsmanship she unleashed that day… the state she briefly touched… it was all slipping through her fingers, like a memory she couldn't quite grasp no matter how many times she reached for it.

Stacia let out a slow breath and opened her palms.

Flames bloomed instantly, dancing above her hands with perfect control.

Three days.

For three days straight, no one had managed to defeat her since the competition began.

To the outside world, she was dominating. Calm. Unshaken.

But she knew better.

Because tomorrow was different.

Tomorrow, she would face the one person everyone called the golden child of their generation.

Rose Brilliance.

Stacia lowered her hands, the flames fading as her expression hardened.

She knew the truth.

She would probably lose.

But even so—

This was her chance.

Her chance to stay by his side without hesitation.

Without doubt.

Without being left behind.

No excuses.

No questions.

For that alone—

Stacia closed her eyes and took a deep, steady breath, letting the heat in her chest settle.

And silently, she prepared herself.

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