The mid-day sun streamed through the window, slicing the room into uneven halves of light and shadow. One beam landed squarely across Ezekiel’s face, highlighting the sharp set of his jaw and the faint scowl etched into his features. He sat sprawled on the couch, one arm draped over the backrest while his other hand tapped rhythmically against his cheek in barely contained irritation. Beside him, Zee reclined with her legs elegantly crossed, her chin resting in her palm as she stared off into space, boredom clear in the distant look of her golden eyes.

  Ajal was perched backward on a small office chair, straddling it casually with his legs spread wide. He leaned forward, his arms draped loosely over the chair’s backrest, his head tilted as he stared at the floor. Cassian sat cross-legged on the floor next to him, absently tracing patterns on the wooden boards, while Molly stood nearby, her arms folded tightly as she surveyed the room with a sharp, restless gaze.

  The tension in the air thickened as the Top Three students—Ophelia, Bellona, and Riku—stood behind Nagi, their expressions varying between a playful smile and a stoic stare. Nagi himself cut an imposing figure, his calm yet commanding presence casting an invisible weight over the gathering. Meanwhile, Lucius lay sprawled across the coffee table in front of the couch, his catlike form stretched lazily as his tail flicked idly against the polished surface, a stark contrast to the seriousness of the room.

  Ezekiel’s irritated voice cut through the room. “Why are we doing this in our dorm, anyway? We could’ve used literally anywhere else.”

  Lucius, still sprawled out on the coffee table, gave a lazy flick of his tail and grinned. “Oh, I’ve always liked the dorms. Cozy atmosphere, good lighting. Perfect spot for a little rendezvous.”

  Ezekiel rolled his eyes. “Perfect spot, sure.”

  Molly crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently. “Can we just hurry this up? I don’t want to be late for work.”

  Nagi shifted his attention to Ophelia, who stood near the wall inspecting her nails as if she were in the middle of a relaxing spa day. “Ophelia,” Nagi said, his tone sharp, “where’s Marlow?”

  Without looking up, Ophelia shrugged. “On his way. Don’t wait for him. I’ll catch him up on whatever he misses.”

  Nagi sighed, clearly unimpressed, before turning back to the room. His steely gaze scanned the group as he began. “Alright, listen up. Everyone gathered here is already aware of the mission to stop the organization hiding in Campus City.”

  Ajal, still straddling his chair, began lazily spinning in it. He stopped just long enough to respond, “Makes sense.”

  Before anyone could react, Molly stepped forward, grabbed the back of the chair, and spun it with far more force than necessary. The chair whirled in a blur, but instead of getting dizzy, Ajal laughed like a kid on a carnival ride.

  “Woooo! Faster!” Ajal shouted, throwing his arms out dramatically.

  Cassian burst out laughing, leaning forward as if he couldn’t help himself. Molly, however, scowled as she doubled down on her efforts to make Ajal regret his existence. She spun the chair even faster, but Ajal’s laughter only grew louder, like a taunt.

  “Will you idiots stop?!” Ophelia barked, her voice cutting through the commotion. “This isn’t playtime!”

  Molly didn’t let up, glaring at Ajal’s gleeful expression like it personally offended her. “I’m doing the world a favor,” she muttered under her breath.

  Meanwhile, Nagi stood unmoving, his expression as stoic as ever, ignoring the chaos completely. He continued speaking as though nothing was happening. “Ezekiel, Riku, and Zee will be responsible for uncovering the traitor who’s infiltrated your class. The rest of you are tasked with locating and eliminating the remaining members of the organization hiding in the city.”

  Cassian raised his hand hesitantly, his laughter subsiding. “Uh, how do we know none of us is the traitor?” he asked, his tone half-joking but tinged with genuine concern.

  Lucius chuckled softly from his spot on the coffee table, his emerald eyes gleaming with amusement. “Ah, that’s a valid question, Cassian,” he said. “The truth is, we don’t have proof that anyone in this room is innocent. Outside of the Top Three, of course.”

  Cassian blinked, his face paling slightly. “Wait, seriously?”

  “Seriously,” Lucius replied with a mischievous grin. “But don’t worry. I trust you all. You’re my students, after all.”

  Nagi gave a small nod of agreement. “Lucius is right. Trust is essential here, even if it’s earned gradually. Let’s not waste energy on paranoia.”

  Before anyone could respond, a soft knock sounded at the door. The room stilled for a moment before the door creaked open, revealing Marlow. His usual warm smile was replaced by a slightly tired expression as he stepped inside.

  “Sorry I’m late,” he said apologetically, brushing stray feathers from his shoulder. His eyes scanned the room, landing on Ophelia first. “Hey, sorry, Ophelia-”

  He stopped mid-sentence as his gaze shifted to the chaos in the center of the room. Molly was still furiously spinning Ajal’s chair, her movements growing more aggressive, while Ajal’s laughter filled the room. Ophelia stood nearby, shouting futilely for them to stop, her face red with irritation.

  Marlow blinked, then broke into a loud laugh. “What the hell is even happening right now?” he asked, his voice full of amusement.

  Ophelia’s sharp glare and frustrated tone melted away the instant her eyes landed on Marlow. Her whole demeanor shifted as she gasped joyfully, throwing her hands up. “Mar Mar!” she exclaimed, her voice brimming with excitement. She skipped over to him with a childlike glee and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist.

  Marlow laughed, a warm, genuine sound, and returned the hug with equal enthusiasm. The small bluebird perched on his shoulder flapped its wings and let out a cheerful caw, as though sharing in their happiness.

  “Sorry I’m late,” Marlow said, still grinning as he rested his chin briefly on Ophelia’s head.

  Ophelia leaned back slightly to look up at him, her golden eyes sparkling. “It’s fine now that you’re here!” she said, clearly delighted.

  Marlow glanced past her at the chaos still unfolding. Ajal’s laughter echoed in the room as Molly, red-faced and determined, continued spinning his chair. “But seriously,” Marlow asked, his grin widening, “what is going on here?”

  Molly didn’t even look up from her task. “Ajal randomly started spinning himself in that stupid chair, so I’m setting him straight by making him regret his actions,” she said matter-of-factly, her tone laced with her usual irritation.

  Marlow’s grin turned mischievous as he gave her an approving thumbs-up. “Excellent work. Keep it up, Molly. I believe in you.”

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  “Thank you!” Molly huffed, doubling down on her efforts.

  Nagi sighed heavily and cleared his throat, his sharp tone cutting through the commotion. “Marlow, you’re here now.”

  Marlow straightened up and released Ophelia, giving Nagi a polite nod. “Yeah, sorry about that. The principal had me run an errand. Took a bit longer than I expected.”

  Lucius, still lounging on the coffee table, waved a paw dismissively. “If it’s for the principal, then it’s fine. No need to explain.”

  Finally, Molly let out a groan and stopped spinning the chair, shaking her arms out dramatically. “Ugh, my arms are tired,” she announced, stepping back to catch her breath.

  Cassian, still sitting cross-legged on the floor, chuckled. “You lasted pretty long, though. Impressive stamina.”

  Molly crossed her arms and gave him a proud nod. “Of course! A hero never gives up on bringing evil to justice.”

  Ajal, who was still grinning despite looking slightly dizzy, leaned forward on the chair’s backrest. “You do realize you just gave up, right? Like, two seconds ago?”

  Molly’s eyes widened in offense as she spun back around to face him. “What did you just say?!”

  Without waiting for a response, she grabbed the chair again and tried to start spinning it, her determination reigniting. But before she could get any momentum, a sharp whoosh cut through the air. A sleek metal shard stopped mere inches from Molly’s neck, hovering in place as though held by an invisible force.

  Molly froze, her grip tightening on the chair as her gaze darted to Bellona, who was calmly holding an intricately designed metal fan. The faint shimmer of Divinity surrounded the fan’s edge as Bellona stared at Molly, her expression ice-cold.

  “Knock it off,” Bellona said flatly, her voice carrying a quiet but unmistakable authority.

  Molly slowly released the chair, her eyes darting between the floating shard and Bellona’s unwavering gaze. “Fine,” she muttered, stepping back with her hands raised slightly.

  “Good,” Bellona replied, flicking her fan gracefully. The shard spun once in midair before retracting back into the fan’s metal folds.

  Bellona flicked her fan closed with a sharp snap, her eyes narrowing as she kept her focus on Molly. Before the tension could escalate further, Riku’s lighthearted voice broke through.

  “Oh, come on, Bellona, let them have their fun,” he said, leaning casually against the wall with his arms crossed, his grin wide and teasing. “They’re just being kids. No need to go slicing anyone up over a little spinning chair action.”

  Bellona’s sharp gaze turned to Riku, her irritation clear. “This isn’t a joke, Riku. We’re here for something serious.”

  Riku shrugged, his smile never wavering. “Serious doesn’t mean we can’t let them blow off a little steam. Besides, it’s kind of funny, don’t you think?”

  Bellona opened her mouth to retort, but before she could, Nagi’s firm voice cut through the room.

  “That’s enough,” Nagi said, his calm authority settling over the group like a weight. His sharp crimson eyes scanned the room, silencing any lingering chatter. “Everyone, pay attention. The information I’m about to share is important.”

  The room grew quiet as the playful energy evaporated, replaced by a collective focus on Nagi. Even Riku straightened up, though his grin remained as he leaned forward, clearly intrigued.

  Nagi cleared his throat, bringing everyone’s focus back to him. “Let’s start with the card Ezekiel found during the exam,” he began, his tone steady and measured. “We’ve confirmed that it isn’t just a card—it’s a key.”

  Ezekiel sat up a little straighter, his curiosity piqued. “A key to what?” he asked flatly.

  “That’s what we don’t know,” Nagi replied, his expression unreadable. “But it’s clearly important.”

  Lucius stretched and added, “Someone named Merrick took the key from an alleyway after I purposely left it there to bait them out.”

  Zee, who had been quiet up until now, tilted her head. “So you just let the bad guys take it back?” she asked incredulously.

  Lucius smirked, his sharp green eyes gleaming. “Relax, kid. It’s fine. As long as that group is still in Campus City, so is the key. They can’t take it too far without us noticing.”

  Ophelia, still clinging to Marlow, glanced up. “What does this Merrick person look like?”

  Lucius’s tail stopped mid-flick as he considered her question. “Tall, lanky, and completely over-the-top. Bright orange hair, black dress covered in symbols, lots of chains. Carries around a massive sword covered in graffiti for no reason other than to look intimidating. Oh, and their necklace—” Lucius gestured faintly with his paw. “A broken cross, split clean in half.”

  Cassian furrowed his brow, his attention caught by the mention of the broken cross. “A broken cross… That’s not a good sign,” he said quietly.

  Nagi nodded. “I’ve encountered people with that same broken cross before,” he said. “At first, I thought it was tied to The Cult, but now I’m certain it’s a completely separate group. Their goals, however, seem to align in some places.”

  Nagi looked around the room. “Any questions so far?”

  Ajal raised his hand lazily, a curious glint in his eyes. “I have one, but it’s more for Ophelia.” He swiveled slightly in his chair to face her. “You said earlier that they’re probably targeting us because we’re Inheritors. Why do you think that?”

  Ophelia’s expression turned thoughtful, her sharp features softening just slightly. “At first, it was just a theory,” she admitted. “But the broken cross confirms it for me. Every time I’ve fought someone with that cross on a mission, they’ve had a burning hatred for the Gods. And by extension, that hatred spills onto us—Inheritors.”

  Nagi nodded in agreement. “Which brings us to the plan,” he said firmly. “For now, our only goal is to gather information. Find out their true intentions and the exact date they plan to act. No one is to engage in combat unless absolutely necessary. When we know enough, we’ll confront them together.”

  Molly crossed her arms, a skeptical look on her face. “Their plan could kick off tomorrow for all we know,” she pointed out.

  Lucius chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Unlikely. These people are careful—deliberate. They won’t rush it. Besides, they’re still gathering their own pieces, just like we are.”

  Nagi raised a hand, silencing any further discussion. “That’s the current plan,” he said. “Any objections?”

  The room was quiet for a moment before the students nodded in agreement. “Good,” Nagi said. “Then that’s all for now. Dismissed.”

  One by one, the students began filtering out of the dorm, their footsteps echoing faintly against the wooden floors. Marlow and Ophelia walked out together, Ophelia skipping ahead with a noticeable spring in her step.

  Ajal hesitated for a moment before calling out to Marlow. “Hey, wait up.”

  Marlow stopped and turned back, his bluebird letting out a soft chirp as it tilted its head. “What’s up?”

  Ajal scratched the back of his head, his expression caught somewhere between curiosity and exasperation. “How do you deal with her?” He gestured vaguely in the direction Ophelia had gone. “She’s… a lot.”

  Marlow laughed, his grin warm and understanding. “Oh, trust me, I know what you mean. She can definitely be a handful sometimes.”

  “Exactly!” Ajal said, throwing his hands up. “So how do you handle it?”

  Marlow’s gaze softened as he thought for a moment. “Honestly? She embodies what it means to be the Inheritor of Life. Everything she does—even when it comes off as harsh—comes from a place of wanting the best for everyone.”

  Ajal frowned. “So, she’s nice because it’s her job?”

  Marlow shook his head, his smile turning wistful. “Not at all. The role of the Inheritor of Life might seem that way, but she’s the one who made it mean something. She does things her way, not because of the title, but because of who she is. That will of hers—the way she decides what’s right and goes for it no matter what—that’s what I fell in love with.”

  Ajal blinked, caught off guard by the sincerity in Marlow’s voice.

  Marlow clapped a hand on Ajal’s shoulder, his smile growing brighter. “She’s not perfect, and yeah, she’ll get on your nerves. But if you can, cut her some slack when she’s being difficult. It’s worth it.”

  Before Ajal could respond, Ophelia’s voice rang out from down the hall. “Mar Mar! Stop talking to the loser and come with meee!”

  Ajal groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I’ll try,” he muttered. “But she makes it really hard.”

  Marlow laughed and patted his shoulder again. “I appreciate the effort, man.”

  As Marlow jogged ahead to catch up with Ophelia, Molly and Cassian passed Ajal on their way out.

  Cassian gave him a small wave. “See you at work later.”

  Molly, not even sparing Ajal a glance, added curtly, “Don’t be late.”

  Ajal sighed, leaning back against the doorframe as he watched Marlow and Ophelia disappear down the hall. His mind lingered on Marlow’s words, turning them over like pieces of a puzzle.

  "Made it mean something, huh?"

  The thought stuck with him, weaving its way into the tangled mess of admiration and irritation he felt toward Ophelia.

  With a shake of his head, he pushed himself off the doorframe and turned back into the dorm. The late afternoon sunlight streamed through the windows, casting warm streaks across the room’s wooden floors. Ajal glanced around, noting the faint hum of quiet now that everyone had left and Ezekiel returned to his room.

  After changing into his uniform, Ajal grabbed his keys and wallet, tossing them into his pocket before heading for the door. As he stepped out, he glanced back at the now-empty dorm, a small grin tugging at the corner of his lips.

  “Let’s see how chaotic work gets this time.”

  With that, he closed the door behind him and made his way to the Eclipse Diner, the faint sound of his footsteps echoing through the forest.