The castle hall was quiet now, its grand chandeliers casting a soft glow over the long table where remnants of dinner still lingered. Plates had been cleared, glasses drained, and the air carried the faint warmth of laughter that had already faded into silence. Rias and Sona's peerages were still present, sitting stiffly, clearly wanting to ask questions but holding themselves back.
Jay leaned against the far wall, arms crossed, mask hiding most of his expression. His presence was as casual as ever, but the aura around him made everyone hesitate to break the silence.
Finally, Rias spoke up, her crimson hair falling across her shoulder as she gathered her courage.
"About what just happened. The intruder—"
Jay raised a hand, cutting her off with a lazy flick of his wrist. His tone was light, but the undertone left no room for argument.
"That's not your concern. What happened was between me, Elysia, and Serafall. You don't need to know—and believe me, it's better if you don't."
Sona's eyes narrowed slightly, but even she didn't press. The weight of Jay's words pressed heavier than the gravity of his training dimension.
"Rest," Jay continued, voice almost playful again, as if dismissing the whole topic. "You've all done enough for today. Tomorrow, the real fun begins."
The peerages exchanged uneasy glances. They wanted to protest, to push for answers, but something in Jay's voice told them the truth would only crush them. Slowly, one by one, they relented, standing to leave.
As the groups dispersed, Jay turned toward Elysia and Serafall.
"You two. With me."
When they returned to the main hall, the peerages had settled into an awkward quiet. Jay clapped his hands once, breaking the tension.
Jay leaned against the railing, his mask catching the moonlight from the artificial sky. His tone was deceptively casual, but every word carried weight.
"The guy I fought tonight wasn't just strong. He was a transmigrator with a devouring ability—he could eat powers, make them his own, permanently. If I had dragged things out, he could've swallowed enough energy to wipe this planet clean."
Serafall's usual smile faltered, her voice sharper than normal. "That kind of cheat… that's insane."
Jay gave a slow nod. "Yeah. But the real problem isn't just his ability. It's his mindset. People like him don't come here to play hero. They want to burn worlds down, chain them up, make everything theirs. That's why I'm telling you both—if someone suspicious shows up, if you even suspect they don't belong here, don't mess around. Don't stall. You tell me. Immediately."
Elysia tilted her head, violet eyes glimmering with that mischievous light of hers. "So strict, Jay~ But fine, I get it. These cheaters aren't just nuisances—they're the type who'll bite the hand that feeds them and torch the house after."
Jay smirked faintly under the mask. "Exactly."
Serafall's tone softened, but her gaze stayed steady. "Alright. I'll take you seriously. If another one shows up, you'll be the first to know."
Jay turned his eyes back toward the glowing lake, his voice dropping just enough for them to catch the edge of sincerity beneath the sarcasm. "Good. Because one mistake, one hesitation… and the next intruder might not be so easy to clean up."
—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When they returned to the main hall, the peerages had settled into an awkward quiet. Jay clapped his hands once, breaking the tension.
"Alright, kids. Listen up. You'll be staying here tonight."
Confused glances passed between Rias's group and Sona's, but none dared interrupt.
"I've already prepared rooms for all of you," Jay continued. "Lower levels of the castle. Pick whichever you like, get some rest. Tomorrow, training resumes—and I'll be turning the dial higher."
He paused, tilting his head with mock thoughtfulness.
"Don't worry. Your rooms are separate from mine, Elysia's, and Serafall's. We've got chambers in the upper halls. So unless you want to be incinerated by a ward, don't snoop."
The comment drew a few nervous laughs, but most were too drained to argue. They filed out quietly, each choosing their rooms.
Rias lingered a moment, her pride warring with her exhaustion, but in the end, she turned away without a word.
Jay watched them go, his mask tilted slightly. Only when the hall emptied did he finally let his shoulders relax.
The crystalline garden slept under its eternal moonlight, bathed in a silver glow that shimmered against every flower and blade of grass. It was beautiful, serene—yet Jay felt only the weight pressing down on his chest.
He pulled off his mask and let it dangle from his fingers. For once, there was no teasing grin, no smirk to hide behind. Just a face lined with exhaustion, his dangerous eyes softened by something rawer, heavier.
"…That was supposed to be easy," he muttered. The words tasted bitter. "But it wasn't for them."
He clenched his fist, knuckles whitening. He could still feel the echo of that devouring power, as if it had tried to gnaw into his skin. That intruder had been terrifying—not because Jay couldn't kill him, but because of what might have happened if he hadn't been there. Given time, that man could have eaten entire worlds.
"The first mission," Jay whispered, a sharp laugh breaking through, hollow. "And they already send someone who could grow into solar system-level. What's next? Galaxy? Universal?…"
His jaw tightened, and he dragged a hand through his hair. He tilted his head back, staring at the fake stars overhead, but his mind wasn't here. It was worry, he feel something bad will happen if he not here today, after all it growth type enemy. He always feel something wrong about chat group.
His hand trembled. He squeezed it tighter, forcing the shaking to stop.
"I can't let anything bad happen to them," he hissed under his breath. His voice cracked, harsh and raw. "ever."
The vow hung heavy in the night. Alone, he allowed himself to break—just a little. To admit fear. To admit anger. To admit that even with all his strength, he wasn't enough. Not yet.
He pulled the mask back onto his face, sealing the weakness away. By morning, the smirk would return. By morning, he'd be the playful bastard everyone knew. But here, in this silent garden, Jay let the truth carve itself into his bones.
"…Prometheus." His voice cut through the air, steady despite the storm inside him.
[Daily Login pending.]
The familiar, mechanical chime answered, bright against the dark of his thoughts. Jay exhaled slowly, shoulders finally easing just a little.
"Give it to me," he said quietly. "Whatever it is. I need more. I have to be stronger."
Light spilled into the garden, the first glow of the system's reward blooming across the flowers like dawn breaking through the night. Jay stood tall, mask hiding his expression again, but inside, one thought rang louder than any system prompt:
[DING!]