Lyra stood in a quiet room, sunlight filtering through tall windows.
In her hand was one of Andres' fruits.
Untouched.
Uncut.
Perfect.
"…There are no natural inconsistencies," she said.
Across from her, an older man observed calmly.
"You believe it's magical?"
Lyra shook her head.
"No."
A pause.
"…I believe it's controlled."
That distinction mattered.
Magic fluctuated.
This did not.
The man leaned forward slightly.
"…And the boy?"
Lyra's gaze shifted toward the city beyond the window.
"He doesn't behave like someone who just gained power."
"…Meaning?"
"He behaves like someone who already understands restraint."
Silence.
Then—
"That makes him valuable."
Lyra nodded slightly.
"…Or dangerous."
Another pause.
The man studied her carefully.
"And what will you do?"
Lyra didn't hesitate.
"I'll approach him again."
Not as an observer.
Not as a test.
But directly.
Because the more she watched—
The more one thing became clear.
Andres Jowhill wasn't just surviving in Velmora.
He was positioning himself.
And if left unchecked—
He wouldn't just enter the system.
He would influence it.