69.Drag you out
Leo prowled restlessly around the room while Marcelline stared out the villa window, jaw tight, mind racing.
That faint ripple of energy—it wasn't enough.
Not enough to track.
Not enough to drag the source out of hiding.
She tapped her fingers on the glass.
"I need to expose myself more…" she muttered.
"Move in broader daylight. Make noise. Force it to react."
Leo growled low, unsure.
Marcelline smirked.
"It likes observing. So let it observe."
A spark lit in her eyes.
"If I become more visible… maybe it'll slip. Or someone connected to it will."
Her thoughts sharpened, shifting direction.
Staying isolated in a villa wasn't working.
She needed to integrate.
Walk among humans.
Stir the air.
Let the entity feel her presence everywhere.
And then it struck her.
"College."
Leo stopped pacing.
Marcelline grinned like a wolf.
"If I join a college, move among thousands every day… I'll get information. Rumors. Strange cases. Patterns the entity leaves. It always leaves some."
And besides—
"…I can finish my degree while I'm at it."
Two birds.
One stone.
Perfect.
She strode to her desk, flipped open her laptop, and began typing.
"Hollowmist… top universities…"
The search loaded instantly.
At the very top:
St. Lumina University — Rank 1 in Sparklight, Prestigious Postgraduate Program.
Marcelline's lips curled.
"That's the one."
Leo flicked his tail, approving.
Within minutes she had filled every form — personal details, provisional documents, specialization preferences. With her lineage, intelligence, and power, the entrance test felt like solving a kindergarten puzzle.
She finished it in under twelve minutes.
Application: Accepted Instantly
Entrance: Cleared with highest score
Starting date: Soon.
Marcelline leaned back in her chair, folding her arms, satisfied.
"Well… looks like I'm going to college again."
Leo barked once, almost like laughter.
She whispered narrow-eyed,
"Let's see if the source hides after this…
Or if it comes crawling out to greet me."
Because the moment Marcelline entered Hollowmist's largest, brightest, most crowded place…
The entity would have no choice but to react.
And she was more than ready.
---
Marcelline was still lounging back in her chair, Leo curled lazily beside her, when her laptop chimed with a new notification.
Ding—
She arched a brow.
Inbox: 1 New Message
Sender: St. Lumina University – Admissions Department
"Well… that was fast," she murmured.
She clicked it open.
---
SUBJECT: Admission Confirmation — Reporting Date
Dear Ms. Marcelline Elensia,
We are pleased to inform you that your application has been accepted.
You are requested to report to campus for orientation and formal enrollment in two days.
Welcome to St. Lumina University.
---
Marcelline let out a slow breath.
"Two days…" she whispered.
"Perfect."
Leo lifted his head, sensing her energy rising again — sharp, confident.
"It gives me time to prepare a proper cover identity… blend in… and move freely."
She stood, stretching her arms.
"And once I'm inside…"
Her eyes shimmered with a dangerous spark,
"…the creature won't be able to ignore me anymore."
She shut her laptop.
Her plan was set.
Two days.
Two days until she walked into the heart of Hollowmist City in broad daylight — surrounded by thousands of humans, rumors, energies, movements…
And the entity would feel her presence shake the air.
Marcelline smirked.
"Let's see who finds whom first."
Leo growled softly, ready.
---