Night settled gently over Moonvilla as Luna prepared to leave. She bid Qin Wei farewell in the courtyard, her expression calm, her movements unhurried. Usually, when she departed on Blossom Tower business, she vanished quietly, leaving no trace behind. Tonight was no different on the surface. She slipped past the gates and disappeared into the darkness beyond the villa walls.

What Luna did not know was that she was not alone.

Far behind her, a shadow moved with unnatural silence. Cloaked in dark robes and assassin's gear, the figure followed at a distance, careful never to let his presence brush against her senses. Three hours passed like this, the chase stretching across roads and wilderness alike, until the lights of Blossom City finally appeared on the horizon. The scout slowed as Luna crossed the city gates and made her way straight toward the structure that dominated the skyline.

The Blossom Tower.

It rose thirty stories into the night sky, radiant and impossible to ignore, glowing softly like a second moon planted at the city's heart. Mana lights traced its edges, and faint runes shimmered across its surface. Luna entered without hesitation, her figure swallowed by the tower's brilliance.

The scout stopped.

"She belongs to Blossom Tower," he muttered beneath his hood. "And Blossom Tower is not an enemy of House Griffin. If anything, they are closer to allies." His eyes narrowed as he stared at the entrance. "Then why all this secrecy."

He shook his head slowly. "I cannot step inside without alerting the tower master. That would create more trouble than answers." His form blurred, edges dissolving into the night. "For now, I'll report to the house lord."

The shadow vanished as if it had never been there.

Inside the Blossom Tower, Luna climbed in silence.

The interior was eerily quiet at this hour. Wide corridors stretched upward in a spiral, illuminated by soft mana lamps that cast a pearly glow across polished floors. Floor after floor passed without a single soul in sight, until Luna reached the eighteenth level.

There, someone waited.

"Mia," Luna called softly.

A woman stepped out from the shadows between shelves of scrolls. She had silver hair that fell loosely over her shoulders, pale skin that seemed untouched by the passage of time, and crimson eyes that gleamed with intelligence. Her figure was elegant, her presence unmistakable.

"Luna," Mia said with a smile. "You're back."

"Not really," Luna replied. "I need to see the tower master."

Mia's expression shifted slightly. "Aunt should still be in meditation."

"This is urgent," Luna said simply.

Mia studied her for a moment before nodding. "Should I accompany you."

Luna shook her head. "It's alright."

Mia did not press further. She turned and walked away, leaving Luna alone once more.

Luna continued upward, climbing three more floors before stopping in front of a massive door carved with ancient runes. She placed her palm against its surface. The door responded instantly, opening soundlessly as she stepped inside.

The hall beyond was vast.

At its center, a woman floated several feet above the ground, suspended in midair. She looked strikingly similar to Mia, sharing the same silver hair, pale complexion, and red eyes, though age had given her presence a heavier authority. A translucent shield hovered before her, connected to her body by streams of white energy that pulsed and vibrated violently, as if barely contained.

The mana pressure in the hall was immense.

Luna lowered her head slightly as she entered, her heart steady but alert.

The tower master was still in deep meditation.

And Luna had come with a request that could shake the foundation of everything she stood upon.

"Master."

Luna's voice echoed softly through the vast hall.

The woman floating in midair slowly opened her eyes. Crimson pupils settled on Luna, sharp and calm. With a casual lift of her hand, the translucent shield before her shattered into motes of white light, the violent vibrations fading as the energy dispersed. Her feet touched the ground soundlessly.

"At this hour," she said, studying Luna closely. "What is it."

Luna took a breath. "It isn't important for the tower," she replied honestly. "Nor for you. But it is urgent for me."

Nyssa's gaze softened slightly. "Is it about your husband."

Luna froze for a brief moment, then her cheeks warmed as she nodded.

Nyssa's lips curved into a knowing smile. "You're not denying it this time," she said lightly. "You didn't insist he isn't your husband."

"Today," Luna said shyly, lowering her eyes, "it became official."

Nyssa laughed, the sound gentle but tinged with something deeper. "Really. That's good news." She stepped closer and placed a hand on Luna's shoulder. "Congratulations, my child."

Then her smile faded just a little.

"It's unfortunate," Nyssa continued quietly, "that you could not become his legal wife." Her gaze drifted away. "This world is unforgiving to women. A commoner can never become the legal wife of someone with noble blood, no matter how capable she is." Her voice grew steadier, colder. "Men can be granted nobility by the Emperor. Women cannot, unless they become grandmasters. And by the time most women reach that realm, they've long passed the age society deems suitable for marriage."

Luna looked at her master carefully, noting the faint melancholy that slipped through her composed expression. "Master," she asked gently, "you loved someone once, didn't you."

Nyssa did not answer immediately.

Her eyes unfocused, staring past the walls of the hall.

In her mind, a memory unfolded. A younger version of herself stood beneath a forest of maple trees, sunlight filtering through crimson leaves. Beside her was a young Aerondor Dragon, his laughter bright, his hand warm in hers. They walked together, carefree, believing the world belonged to them.

Then the memory shattered.

The same man stood before her again, his expression heavy as he spoke of duty. He had been betrothed to the daughter of a duke. Chosen. Elevated. Groomed to inherit a throne. She remembered the way her chest burned, the way her tears fell as she turned and walked away, leaving everything she loved behind.

The memory faded.

Nyssa shook her head lightly and smiled again, as if brushing away dust. "Everyone falls in love at least once in their lives," she said. "And not everyone gets to stay with the one they love." Her eyes returned to Luna. "Sometimes it's people. Sometimes it's circumstances. Either way, each path is different." She paused. "I can't tell you how to live your life. I can only hope you live it well."

Luna nodded slowly, her grip tightening slightly at her side.

Nyssa gestured toward her. "Now tell me," she said, her tone returning to business. "Why did you come here tonight."

Luna straightened. "My husband needs a large amount of gold," she explained. "He's willing to sell talismans to the tower at a discounted price. Bulk trade."

Nyssa raised an eyebrow. "Discounted."

"Yes," Luna replied. "It's because of the upcoming annual festival."

Understanding dawned in Nyssa's eyes. She nodded once. "That explains the urgency." She paused, considering. "It isn't impossible," she said slowly. "But procuring five hundred thousand gold coins at once…" Her gaze sharpened slightly. "That is not a small sum, even for Blossom Tower."

The hall fell quiet again.

Luna smiled, the tension in her shoulders easing just a little as she spoke. "My husband anticipated that concern," she said calmly. "That's why he asked me to present two options. The tower may place an order worth two hundred and fifty thousand gold coins immediately, and the remaining amount can be paid over the next two months, split into bi-weekly payments." She paused briefly before adding, "Alternatively, the tower may cover the remaining sum using treasures of equivalent value."

Nyssa listened without interrupting, her expression unreadable.

Luna continued, her tone respectful but firm. "He also asked me to make it clear that this is not a threat. However, he needs the funds urgently. If Blossom Tower is unable to meet this need, then he will have no choice but to deepen his cooperation with House Griffin instead, including several talisman types that he currently sells exclusively through us."

For a brief moment, Nyssa frowned.

The air in the hall seemed to tighten as she weighed the implications. Qin Wei's talismans were not ordinary goods. Their uniqueness alone had already drawn attention, and losing exclusivity over certain types would weaken Blossom Tower's long-term position. After a short silence, Nyssa nodded.

"Very well," she said. "If that is the case, then this must be treated as a custom order."

Luna's smile widened slightly. "My husband is prepared to fulfill any quantity the tower requires."

Nyssa turned and walked a few steps across the hall, her hands clasped behind her back as she thought. When she stopped, she spoke without turning around. "Then I only need one type," she said. "Spirit Locking Talismans."

She turned to face Luna again. "You normally sell them to us at one hundred gold coins per piece. With the agreed discount, the price will be fifty gold coins each."

Luna nodded, already calculating.

"I require ten thousand of them," Nyssa finished.

Luna's breath caught.

"Ten… thousand?" she repeated, her eyes widening despite her efforts to stay composed. The number echoed in her mind, heavy and unsettling. "That many… why?"

Nyssa's gaze sharpened, a faint smile touching her lips that carried no warmth. "Because," she said calmly, "the world is about to become far less peaceful than it appears."

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