The study room was quiet, but Luna's heart was anything but.

She sat upright on the cushion, her hands resting neatly on her knees, eyes closed as she tried to meditate. The lamps burned steadily, and the faint scent of ink and paper lingered in the air. Normally, this room helped her calm her thoughts. Tonight, it only made them louder.

From the other side of the residence, muffled sounds drifted through the corridors.

She heard them.

She had been hearing them for more than an hour.

Luna's breathing wavered, her concentration breaking again and again. The rhythm of the sounds made it impossible to pretend she was unaware of what was happening. Her fingers slowly curled into the fabric of her skirt.

"Damn you, Thea," she murmured under her breath, frustration and jealousy slipping into her voice despite her efforts to suppress them. "Couldn't you have returned a few hours later." Her lips pressed together as the thought cut deeper. "Master hadn't touched anyone for six days… and you get to take all of his desire in one go. When it should have been me."

The words left her mouth bitterly, but she did not truly hate Thea. Not completely.

Her gaze lowered.

Then another thought surfaced, colder and far more dangerous.

Thea had changed.

Luna remembered her clearly. Three months ago, Thea had only been at the elementary stage, the same level as herself. But now… now her aura was completely different. Stable. Dense. Powerful. Peak stage.

Before, there was only Vanessa.

Now, Thea stood there as well.

Unlike Vanessa, Thea did not only offer protection. She could fight at the highest levels. She could stand at Master's side in the open. And worse than that, she could satisfy what Luna could only do in the shadows.

Luna exhaled slowly.

"If that's the case," she whispered to herself, "then my role becomes meaningless."

Her eyes hardened.

"I can't let that happen."

She straightened her posture, forcing herself to think clearly. "At least my connection with Blossom Tower still helps him. It brings him resources, channels, and protection from another angle." But even as she said it, she knew the truth. "That alone is not enough. House Griffin can cover all of that once Thea returns fully."

Her fingers tightened again.

"With Thea here, Master might rely on House Griffin more than ever."

That realization made her chest feel hollow.

"I need something else," Luna said quietly. "Something that makes my presence irreplaceable. Something no one else can offer."

She stayed silent for a long time.

Then something clicked.

Her eyes slowly widened.

"There are only two paths," she whispered.

"The first…" Her gaze sharpened. "I bring him the Sword of Aries."

The name alone carried weight. A celestial-grade artifact. One of Blossom Tower's most treasured legacies. Something even Kaelan Griffin would never casually place in Master's hands.

"But to obtain it," Luna continued softly, "I would need to enter the Trials of Aries." Her lips trembled slightly. "And everyone who has entered those trials so far… died."

The room felt colder.

"And the second path," she said after a pause, her voice barely audible, "is to give him a child."

Her hand unconsciously moved to her abdomen.

"But Master is still young," she reasoned quickly, fear creeping in. "Even if I am ready… he might not be. And if I become pregnant before Thea…" Her breath caught. "Who knows what she or her people would do. They might kill me. Or the child."

Her eyes darkened.

"Even if my son is only considered secondary… Thea might never accept that Master's first child is not hers."

Both paths were dangerous.

Deadly, even.

Silence filled the study room once more.

After a long while, Luna spoke again, her voice much lower.

"There is… another way."

Her hand slowly rose to her chest, fingers closing around the small locket hidden beneath her clothes. The metal felt cool against her skin, familiar and terrifying all at once.

Her thumb brushed over its surface.

"No," she whispered, anxiety flooding her eyes. "If I choose that path… there will be no turning back."

The sounds from the bathing chamber continued faintly in the distance.

And in the quiet study room, Luna sat alone, weighing choices that could reshape not only her fate, but Master's future as well.

Morning light filtered softly into the study room of Kaelan Griffin's manor, illuminating shelves packed with ancient scriptures and thick tomes bound in leather. Kaelan sat behind his desk, posture straight, his attention fixed on the text before him. The quiet rustle of pages was the only sound in the room until a knock broke the stillness.

"Enter," Kaelan said without lifting his head.

The door opened, and Vanessa stepped inside. She walked forward with measured steps, holding a rolled scroll in both hands. When she reached the desk, she placed it carefully before him.

Kaelan finally looked up. "What is it," he asked calmly.

Vanessa straightened. "This is an official document issued by Lady Thea," she said. "It formally acknowledges Luna as Master Icarus' concubine. By extension, she is now recognized as part of House Griffin."

Kaelan's eyes moved to the seal on the parchment. He studied it for a moment before nodding slowly. "I expected this outcome," he said. "Though I did not think it would be settled so quickly." A faint smile appeared on his lips. "It seems my daughter was more accommodating than I anticipated."

Vanessa hesitated briefly before responding. "Lady Thea appeared angry when she first learned of the matter," she said honestly. "However, Master Icarus managed to convince her."

Kaelan gave a small nod, the smile never leaving his face. "Good," he replied. "This is beneficial for us." He tapped the desk lightly with one finger. "Luna has no family backing, which makes her loyalty far more reliable. She stands firmly by Icarus' side, and she is already a rank-seven sorcerer. From every angle, this strengthens House Griffin."

He reached into a drawer and took out his personal seal. With steady movements, he pressed it onto the parchment beside Thea's mark, the imprint glowing faintly before settling into the paper.

Kaelan handed the scroll back to Vanessa. "Take this to the Department of Rites," he instructed. "Have her formally registered in our household registry as part of Lady Thea's household. Tell them to draft the terms generously. She is to receive the highest monthly allowance permitted for a concubine."

He paused, then added, "After that, go to the treasury. There is something I want retrieved."

Vanessa accepted the scroll and nodded. "Yes, milord."

She turned to leave, but after taking a few steps, she stopped. Her grip tightened slightly around the parchment, and she turned back toward the desk.

"Milord," she said carefully, "there is… something else I need to report."

Kaelan raised his gaze to her again, his expression attentive but unreadable. "Go on," he said.

The quiet of the study returned, heavy with expectation, as Vanessa prepared to speak.

Kaelan listened in silence as Vanessa finished her report. His fingers tapped lightly against the edge of the desk, once, then again, before he finally nodded in understanding. "So," he said slowly, "Thea intends to participate in the upcoming annual festival's battle tournament." His tone was calm, but there was a sharpness beneath it. "That much is expected. This year's event is a team battle. Did she ask you to partner with her."

Vanessa shook her head. "No," she replied. "She wishes to form a team with Master Icarus."

Kaelan's brows knitted together at once. "Is she out of her mind," he said flatly. He leaned back in his chair, his expression darkening. "I know what she's thinking. She heard about the battle with Prince Zion." He exhaled slowly before continuing. "No. He cannot participate. His abilities are far too unusual. A plainfolk who can fight a rank-seven expert will attract attention from every faction in the imperial city. That alone is dangerous." His gaze sharpened. "And even setting that aside, his victory against Zion was barely achieved and nearly cost him his life. I will not allow her to gamble with him like that."

Vanessa lowered her eyes slightly. "Lady Thea is aware of the risks," she said. "That is why she plans to test Master Icarus' combat ability today. Based on the result, she will decide whether to enter the tournament with him."

Kaelan did not respond immediately. The silence stretched for several breaths before he finally spoke again, his voice quieter. "I hope she comes to her senses."

At the same time, far away at Moonvilla, Qin Wei lay sprawled across the courtyard ground, his back pressed against cold stone. A low groan escaped him as he tried to move, only for a dull ache to surge through his limbs. His breathing was uneven, and dust clung to his clothes.

Thea stood a short distance away, staring at him as if she were looking at something that defied reason. Her expression was a mix of disbelief and frustration, her hands clenched tightly at her sides.

"Husband," she said slowly, "did you really defeat Prince Zion back then."

Qin Wei turned his head slightly, wincing as he did. He did not answer immediately.

Thea continued, her tone sharpening as she analyzed what she had just seen. "Your basics are solid. Your reactions are sharp. That ocular ability of yours, the Heaven's Eyes or whatever you call it, lets you perceive everything in slow motion. That part is impressive." She took a step closer. "But your body can't keep up with what your eyes see. Your overall strength is simply too low."

She stopped right in front of him and looked down.

"I don't understand," she said honestly. "With this level of physical power, you shouldn't have been able to survive a rank-seven opponent, let alone defeat him." Her gaze narrowed. "I thought you were deliberately suppressing your mana. But now I see it clearly. You don't have any at all."

Her voice softened just a little as the question left her lips.

"So tell me, husband," she said. "How did you defeat him."

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