Chapter 117: Reasons and Silence
Chapter 117: Reasons and Silence
"But why do you want to attend Warrior Specialization?"
Seraphina’s question hung between them as the three continued down the corridor. Afternoon light filtered through the tall windows, casting long, pale rectangles across the stone floor.
Andras did not answer immediately. He kept his pace steady, his expression unchanged.
"Because of my maid," he said at last.
Seraphina glanced at him.
"Lyra?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"She possesses a Battle Heart," Andras replied. "She wants to become stronger, and I’m the one teaching her. Attending Warrior Specialization will allow me to instruct her more effectively."
Seraphina’s brows drew together.
"You’re a mage. If she needs proper guidance, shouldn’t House Darkmoor have warriors far more qualified to teach her?"
Aurelia, walking on Andras’s other side, nodded slightly.
"I was thinking the same thing."
Andras’s voice remained calm.
"She asked me to teach her. I agreed because I find the process of teaching someone... interesting."
Aurelia studied him with faint skepticism.
"And why would she insist on learning only from you?"
Andras was quiet for a moment.
"It has to do with something that happened after I returned from your birthday banquet, Princess Aurelia."
Both girls turned their attention toward him.
"I went into Darkfall City with Lyra to handle a few matters," Andras continued. "While we were there, three assassins attacked us."
His tone remained casual, but Seraphina’s expression became more attentive.
"They were hiding nearby. One of them threw a knife at me. Lyra saw it coming and, realizing I was the target, stepped between us."
Andras’s gaze remained fixed ahead.
"The knife struck her."
Seraphina’s steps slowed slightly.
Aurelia’s expression tightened.
"I killed the assassins afterward," Andras continued, as though describing an ordinary incident. "Later, I told Lyra that throwing herself in front of a knife was foolish. She should have prioritized her own survival."
He paused.
"She told me that if something similar happened again, she would still do the same."
Seraphina’s eyes narrowed.
"But she also said she refused to remain as weak as she was that day. She asked me to teach her so that, next time, she wouldn’t be helpless."
Andras glanced briefly toward the two girls.
"I agreed."
Silence followed.
Seraphina and Aurelia both looked at him, their expressions revealing a mixture of surprise and concern. Beneath that was another reaction—quiet discomfort at how casually Andras had spoken about killing three assassins.
Seraphina was the first to break the silence.
"Who sent them?"
"I don’t know."
"Why are you only telling me this now?"
Her voice had tightened.
"I’m your fiancée, Andras. An assassination attempt isn’t something you can simply decide isn’t worth mentioning."
Andras turned his head toward her.
For a moment, he studied the emotions crossing her face.
Worry.
Frustration.
A trace of hurt.
And beneath all of it, the sharp displeasure of someone who disliked being kept in the dark.
Her reaction was exactly what he would have expected from the Seraphina he remembered—strong-willed, direct, and unwilling to tolerate unnecessary secrecy from those she considered close.
Interesting.
Emotions really were fascinating when observed from the outside.
"I didn’t consider it serious enough to report," Andras said evenly. "I wasn’t injured, and the matter was dealt with quickly. There was no reason to create unnecessary concern."
Aurelia glanced between them before speaking.
"Seraphina, from his perspective, it probably didn’t seem worth worrying you over. If he genuinely believed the threat had already been dealt with, I can understand why he didn’t mention it immediately."
She looked at Andras.
"Isn’t that right?"
"Yes."
Andras nodded.
"I didn’t want you worrying over something that was already finished."
Seraphina held his gaze for several seconds.
Then she exhaled quietly.
"...Fine. I understand."
The tension gradually faded as Aurelia steered the conversation toward lighter matters. They discussed the professors, the difficulty of balancing six subjects, and the impressions they had formed during their first few days at the academy.
By the time they reached the cafeteria, the earlier sharpness between Andras and Seraphina had mostly disappeared.
They found a table and ate together.
Aurelia eventually left after finishing her meal, mentioning that she still had material to review for Monster Studies.
Once she was gone, only Andras and Seraphina remained.
Andras studied her for a moment.
The earlier conversation had created a small crack in the careful distance that usually existed between them.
He decided there was no harm in widening it slightly.
"You’re not wrong."
Seraphina looked up.
"You do have a right to know if something like that happens," Andras continued. "I should have told you sooner."
He paused.
"Tomorrow is a rest day. If you’re free, come with me outside the academy. Just the two of us. I’ll cover the expenses."
Seraphina regarded him for several seconds.
Then she nodded.
"All right. I’ll come."
"Good. We’ll meet in the morning."
They parted shortly afterward.
Andras returned to the first-year residential building at an unhurried pace. When he reached his room, he knocked once before entering.
Lyra opened the door almost immediately.
"Young Master."
"We’re continuing from where we left off," Andras said as he stepped inside. "After dinner, we can stop. For now, sit down and begin circulating."
Lyra obeyed without question.
She settled into a cross-legged position on the floor and closed her eyes.
Andras sat nearby, carefully observing the subtle changes in her breathing and posture.
Her control had improved since the previous night.
The strand of Battle Energy she produced was still extremely thin, but it was more stable now. She could maintain the circulation for longer before the flow began to waver.
Whenever her breathing became uneven, Andras corrected her.
"Slow down."
Lyra adjusted her breathing.
"Don’t force the transformation."
She relaxed her concentration.
"Let the Battle Heart do its work."
She continued.
After some time, Andras began explaining the next stage in broader terms.
"Eventually, the Battle Energy you produce will be compressed into a Battle Star. But you’re nowhere near ready for that."
Lyra listened carefully.
"Attempting it too early could damage your Battle Heart. For now, your only goals are to stabilize the Battle Energy you’ve already produced and gradually increase the amount your body can safely handle."
"I understand."
"Good."
He continued watching her circulation.
Lyra’s progress was slow, but steady.
That was enough.
When he finally told her to stop, Lyra opened her eyes. A light sheen of sweat covered her forehead, but there was no frustration in her expression.
"That’s enough for today," Andras said.
Lyra nodded and rose.
"I’ll prepare dinner."
While she worked, Andras took a quick bath and changed into clean clothes.
By the time he returned, dinner was already prepared.
They ate together in comfortable silence, occasionally exchanging a few words about the day’s events.
Afterward, Andras returned to the bed and lay back, one arm resting behind his head.
Tomorrow is a rest day.
A full day outside the academy with Seraphina could prove useful.
It would give him an opportunity to observe her without the constant presence of other students. More importantly, it might help repair the small distance that had appeared between them after their conversation earlier that afternoon.
His thoughts were interrupted by Lyra’s approach.
She was holding a crystal orb that emitted a faint blue glow.
Andras immediately recognized it.
The communication orb Evelyne had given him before he left for the academy.
He sat up and took it from Lyra.
A thin thread of mana flowed from his fingertips into the crystal.
The glow intensified.
A moment later, the image of Evelyne Darkmoor appeared within the orb.
"Andras."
Her voice came through clearly.
"How are you settling in at the academy? I’ve missed you."
"I’m fine," Andras replied. "The academy is manageable."
He paused briefly.
"I’ve missed you as well, Mother."
Evelyne’s expression softened.
She began asking her usual questions—how the journey had gone, how the entrance examination had proceeded, how the academy was structured, and what he had learned during his first few days.
Andras answered each question calmly.
When he mentioned that he had placed third in the entrance examination, Evelyne gave a short, satisfied laugh.
"Third, is it?"
Her smile widened.
"As expected of my son."
Andras continued telling her about the academy.
He briefly described the professors and the six subjects, as well as his interactions with Seraphina.
When he mentioned his duel with Seris and his victory, Evelyne’s eyes sharpened with approval.
"You defeated your sister with a sword?"
"Yes."
"Good."
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"She needed the reminder."
They continued speaking for several more minutes.
Eventually, Andras tilted his head slightly.
"Did you contact me only to ask about the academy, or is there something else?"
Evelyne blinked.
Then she gave a small, almost sheepish smile.
"Ah. I nearly forgot the actual reason."
She laughed softly.
"Thank you for reminding me."
Her expression gradually changed.
The warmth remained, but something more focused appeared beneath it.
There was even a faint trace of excitement in her eyes.
Andras noticed immediately.
His attention sharpened.
"I called you because...