Elizabeth sent for the remaining corroded beasts. Meanwhile, I was already preparing to return to the academy with Elena. But before leaving, I knew there was someone who wanted to talk to me.
Thalassa entered my room looking determined.
"You're leaving, right?"
I looked at her, waiting for her to continue.
"You have to help me," she said. "At least to warn the Capital about what happened."
"I have no reason to do it, Thalassa. And I'm tired of people asking me for help as if I'm obligated to give it."
My words clearly didn't sit well with her.
"Isn't it obvious? This doesn't just involve the sirens; sooner or later it will splash onto you too."
"And you think I care?"
She looked at me with a different expression; she clearly hadn't expected that kind of answer.
"I saw the way the women who came with you look at you," she insisted. "They should matter to you."
"Maybe, but that has nothing to do with helping you. Besides, you should know that my relationship with the person behind this isn't exactly 'distant'."
Thalassa took a step back, horrified.
"You support someone who kills innocent people?"
"I don't support anyone. But things like this happen everywhere, and I simply stopped caring."
"You don't feel anything… you don't care about anyone. You're an empty shell, Cassian…"
Her words stirred something inside me.
It was true that I had started seeing everything as unimportant ever since that event that led me to distance myself from everything.
Even Adela had noticed it.
It didn't seem like this was doing me any good; if anything, it was numbing me.
I know that the people I'm close to now will eventually die simply because they lack power, so I don't let them matter too much either.
"You're not in a position to judge me. You don't know me," I shot back with a coldness that would have made anyone retreat.
"You're right, I don't know you," she replied. "That's why you should at least give me the chance to do so. Then we'll see if you're the one who's wrong, or if I'm the one who should shut up."
A heavy silence fell over the room.
"Do whatever you want," I said finally, looking away.
…
Meanwhile, in the Capital.
"The master has already been gone for two days… It's so boring like this," Adela murmured to herself as she walked through the hallways of the house, which now felt far too quiet.
At that moment, there was an insistent knock at the door. Adela went to answer it, determined to fulfill what Cassian had entrusted her with before he left.
But nothing could have prepared her for what happened next. When she opened the door, she found Margery standing there, tears streaming down her face and an expression of absolute desperation.
…
On the other hand, the Duke of Valois received some very unpleasant news as well. With uncontrollable fury, he headed toward his son's room.
He opened the door without knocking. Victorio, who was with Morgana, looked at him in surprise. But his father didn't let him ask anything; he first threw a punch that sent him flying into the wall.
Frederick Valois, a warrior with eighth-level aura, had just struck his heir so hard that the young man could barely stand.
"Useless! Incompetent!" the Duke roared. "Clearly we couldn't trust the Vitalis. Do you know what we lost with your little grain game in Beaumont? And for what?"
Victorio tried to catch his breath as blood stained the floor.
"You knew what that viper is like… If you weren't sure whether she would act, why did you do it?" Frederick continued, approaching menacingly. "And now, on top of that, we're in the position of having to support Prince Leonardo, when a much stronger rival has appeared."
The Duke grabbed him by the neck, forcing him to look at him.
"How could you not know that your classmate had allied herself with Nexus? Even Sylvia Sterling came out to show her support."
Prince Leonardo Demor is losing his mind with fear.
He has started attacking ministers who don't show support like a madman, just to make sure he has the court under his control.
And the Vitalis family has gone so quiet that none of it makes sense anymore.
"Father…" Morgana tried to calm his anger while watching her brother on the floor. "He clearly didn't know. Even you praised him when he proposed the plan."
Frederick Valois looked at his daughter and let out a frustrated sigh, finally releasing Victorio's neck.
"I don't know how we're going to recover from this," he murmured, his voice heavy with a weariness he had never shown before.
Victorio, barely managing to stay on his feet, clenched his teeth while Morgana supported him.
"We still have the advantage. Just one duchy and two marquisates won't change anything. Besides, the Emperor is clearly on Leonardo's side. Mother would never agree if we supported anyone else," Victorio insisted, trying to salvage what little dignity he had left.
The duke shook his head, his expression grim.
"If Princess Elara was capable of achieving so much in silence, what do you think will happen now that she's come out into the open? We are a family that thrives on having information beforehand, and now we've been caught completely off guard…"
Frederick approached the window and stared out at the gardens with a distant gaze.
…
"Did Mother send for me?"
Valeria, with her short silver hair, approached a woman who matched her poise and elegance almost perfectly—like looking at her own reflection from the future.
"Princess Elara has begun competing for the throne," her mother stated bluntly.
A look of surprise crossed the face of the sword enthusiast. Valeria had never been very interested in politics, but this was unheard of.
"But wasn't the crown prince already decided? Besides, Demor has never had an empress."
"You should know about Marquess Vane. That woman never seemed to care about political power; she already had more than enough influence without it. But something has made her change her mind. And whatever can make that woman change her mind… is worth considering."
Valeria processed the information in silence, feeling as though the entire board of the empire was breaking apart.
"Mother, are you thinking of supporting Elara?"
"I don't know yet. I've always favored staying neutral, but once she return to the capital, I want you to invite her to meet me. After I've met her, I'll decide."
…
We were all gathered inside the carriage on our way back, waiting for Elizabeth to arrive so we could return together.
Though it was most likely I would teleport Elena and me back midway through the journey.
This time, however, we had an extra figure among us—one that made someone visibly uncomfortable.
"Another woman…" Elena whispered, shooting me a look of pure disdain.
Elara, on the other hand, regarded the new companion with open curiosity she couldn't hide.
"So, is it true you're a mermaid?" she asked directly.
Thalassa looked at her with a calm smile and replied:
"Well, yes. If I touch water, I grow a fish tail and all that," she added with a light laugh.
The casual way she admitted it left the other two momentarily speechless.
"And is your hair blue because of the sea, or…?" Elara pressed.
"There are mermaids with all sorts of hair colors. Not all of us have this shade…"
"And…" Elara began, but didn't get to finish.
Elizabeth appeared with a grim expression and obvious urgency that instantly shattered the atmosphere.
"Master… Adela sent an urgent message," Elizabeth said, completely ignoring Thalassa's presence. "It's about Rosalind…"