---
---
The chamber they were brought into felt… wrong.
Not because of danger.
But because of control.
---
Everything inside the inner hall of Saeverath estate was too precise. Too measured. Even the air seemed to move in calculated patterns, as though it had been taught how to behave.
The captives were forced to their knees.
Chains tightened slightly.
Not enough to hurt.
Just enough to remind.
---
Nocth did not resist.
He simply observed.
---
At first glance, the elders standing before them looked… ordinary.
Aged.
Composed.
Wrapped in layered garments that carried none of the flashy brilliance common among nobles.
---
But Nocth's eyes lingered longer.
And then—
he saw it.
---
Not with sight alone.
But with something deeper.
---
Across their robes, faint markings pulsed.
Not decorative patterns.
Not stitched embroidery.
---
They felt like…
constellations.
---
Lines that connected in ways that did not follow fabric.
Points that glowed softly like distant stars.
Structures that did not belong to clothing—but to something that had chosen to rest upon it.
---
The robes were not just worn.
They were… inhabited.
---
Nocth's gaze narrowed slightly.
---
Each marking moved subtly.
Not alive.
But not static either.
Like a system breathing through limitation.
---
The glow was weak.
Barely there.
---
Yet it carried presence.
---
Artificial…
---
Nocth didn't know why that word formed.
But it did.
---
Nearby—
two figures worked at a station.
---
One—an older man—guided calmly, his hands steady, voice measured as he instructed a younger apprentice.
"…not like that."
His fingers adjusted the angle of a tool.
"…you're forcing the alignment."
A faint shimmer passed through the material being worked on.
"…feel the flow before you impose structure."
---
The apprentice struggled.
Sweat formed at his brow.
"…I am trying, master—"
---
"Trying is not the issue."
The elder's voice remained calm.
"Understanding is."
---
Not far from them—
another figure worked alone.
---
This one was… different.
---
His movements were sharper.
Faster.
---
Frustrated.
---
A smear of glowing substance spread unevenly across a construct in his hand.
The lines wavered.
Destabilized.
---
"Damn it…"
His voice snapped under his breath.
---
The markings across his robe flickered erratically.
---
Unstable.
---
Nocth watched all of it.
---
And slowly—
a realization settled.
---
These markings…
---
They weren't independent.
---
They were… powered.
---
Each faint glow—
each pattern—
drew from something embedded deeper.
---
Small nodes.
Hidden.
Like anchors.
---
Not threads themselves.
But…
something feeding them.
---
A workaround.
---
A substitute.
---
Something trying to imitate what could not be naturally obtained.
---
Nocth's gaze shifted.
---
Toward the elders.
---
They weren't the same.
---
Their markings—
were stronger.
---
Not overwhelming.
But… accepted.
---
Stabilized.
---
Their bodies did not resist it.
---
Their presence carried something different.
---
As if—
something had already chosen them.
---
---
"Disappointing."
---
The voice cut through the chamber.
---
A female elder stepped forward.
---
Her expression was not loud.
Not dramatic.
But her disappointment carried weight heavier than anger.
---
"…truly disappointing."
---
Her gaze settled on Ruby.
---
"…we allowed you to remain within this estate despite your… limited relevance."
---
Ruby flinched slightly.
---
"…you were given comfort."
"…protection."
"…resources you did not earn."
---
Each word landed deliberately.
---
"And this…"
A faint pause.
"…is how you repay that?"
---
Ruby clenched her fists.
"…It's not what you think—"
---
"Silence."
---
The word struck.
---
Not shouted.
---
But it carried pressure.
---
Ruby's voice died instantly.
---
Her lips trembled—
but no sound followed.
---
The elder's gaze lingered on her for a moment longer.
Then moved on.
---
Toward Doro.
---
Toward his brother.
---
Toward the rest.
---
"…and you."
---
Her tone shifted.
---
Not disappointed.
---
Amused.
---
"…petty strays."
---
A faint smile touched her lips.
---
"…you nearly caused quite the… inconvenience."
---
Her gaze turned slightly.
---
Toward another elder.
---
He had not spoken yet.
---
But his presence—
felt different.
---
He stepped forward slowly.
---
And the chamber changed.
---
Not visibly.
---
But undeniably.
---
The markings across his attire flared.
---
Not bright.
---
But dense.
---
Like weight had suddenly been added to the air.
---
His expression was simple.
---
Annoyed.
---
"…noise."
---
That was all he said.
---
Then—
he moved his hand.
---
Not fast.
Not aggressive.
---
Just—
a slow, casual motion.
---
Palm turning slightly.
---
The air shifted.
---
A faint current—
barely noticeable—
passed through the space.
---
No sound.
---
No visible force.
---
But—
---
The goons behind Doro—
---
ceased to exist.
---
---
There was no scream.
---
No resistance.
---
No struggle.
---
One moment—
they were there.
---
The next—
---
nothing.
---
Only a faint mist—
that dissolved before it could fall.
---
---
Silence.
---
Absolute.
---
---
"…my… my…"
---
A drunkard's voice trembled violently.
---
"I… I never thought…"
He swallowed hard.
"…in my miserable fifty years…"
"…I'd see one up close…"
---
His knees shook.
---
"…a true—"
---
His voice broke.
---
And—
---
he pissed himself.
---
---
The smell spread quickly.
---
No one reacted.
---
Because no one could.
---
---
Karkos stared.
---
Not at the mess.
---
At the elder.
---
His expression twisted.
---
Anger.
---
Fear.
---
Helplessness.
---
All at once.
---
His jaw clenched.
---
But no words came out.
---
He understood.
---
This was not someone he could speak against.
---
Not even in anger.
---
---
The elder stepped forward again.
---
His gaze settled on Doro's older brother.
---
He reached out—
---
and grabbed his chin.
---
Firm.
---
Unavoidable.
---
"…interesting."
---
His tone was low.
Measured.
---
"…a frog reaching for meat meant for swine."
---
His eyes narrowed slightly.
---
"…tell me."
---
"…why?"
---
A pause.
---
"…why would something like you…"
"…reach so far above its place?"
---
---
Doro's brother did not lower his gaze.
---
His body was tense.
---
But his eyes—
---
did not break.
---
---
The chamber noticed.
---
Even the elders.
---
---
"…hm."
---
The elder's grip loosened slightly.
---
"…how amusing."
---
A faint smile formed.
---
"…I will spare you."
---
A pause.
---
"…for now."
---
He released him.
---
"…a spine like that…"
"…is rare."
---
His gaze shifted.
---
Toward Doro.
---
"…and you."
---
But—
he stopped.
---
---
Because Doro—
---
was not looking at him.
---
---
He was staring at—
---
Nocth.
---
---
The elder's expression changed slightly.
---
Curiosity.
---
He followed the line of sight.
---
And looked—
---
at Nocth.
---
---
Nothing.
---
---
No presence.
---
No resonance.
---
No detectable structure.
---
---
"…useless."
---
The conclusion came instantly.
---
His interest vanished.
---
---
Then—
he turned.
---
Toward Imuis.
---
---
And everything shifted again.
---
---
His eyes lit up.
---
---
"…you."
---
---
The air tightened.
---
Pressure gathered—
not visible—
but felt.
---
---
"…you don't belong among these… crawling things."
---
His voice lowered.
---
"…something about you…"
"…feels familiar."
---
A pause.
---
"…but I cannot place it."
---
---
He stepped closer.
---
"…tell me."
---
"…are you the one who brought that… thing… into our domain?"
---
His tone darkened.
---
"…one of those… creatures…"
"…wearing a human shape?"
---
---
Silence.
---
---
"…you know…"
---
His voice dropped further.
---
"…I could kill you right now."
---
"…even if you don't answer."
---
---
Nocth's expression—
changed.
---
---
Ugly.
---
---
For a brief moment—
---
something—
---
leaked.
---
---
Not power.
---
Not exactly.
---
---
But presence.
---
---
Cold.
---
Wrong.
---
Uninvited.
---
---
The entire chamber felt it.
---
---
Everyone froze.
---
---
Heron's eyes widened.
---
I knew it.
---
His thoughts screamed.
---
This kid… isn't normal.
---
---
The elder turned slowly.
---
Back—
to Nocth.
---
---
This time—
---
he did not dismiss him.
---
---
His gaze sharpened.
---
Predatory.
---
---
"…ah."
---
A faint smile formed.
---
"…there it is."
---
---
He stepped closer.
---
Slow.
---
Deliberate.
---
"…I wonder…"
---
His voice carried a quiet cruelty.
---
"…if I tear you apart piece by piece…"
---
A pause.
---
"…will that little spark…"
---
"…finally learn how to bark properly?"
---
---
Silence.
---
---
Nocth said nothing.
---
---
But his eyes—
---
were no longer dull.
---
---
And Imuis—
---
for the first time—
---
looked at him with real concern.
---
---