“What do you think?” Rhys asked, his expression unusually serious.Anubis folded his arms and considered it for a moment before replying.“I think it’s a good choice. The only concern is whether you’ll actually be able to control that familiar. From the way you’re talking, it sounds like you’re not completely confident yourself.”Rhys nodded honestly.“Yeah. I think I can handle it, but I can’t be completely certain until it happens. Besides, we still have a few weeks before I summon my fourth familiar, so there’s no need to rush.”“Fair enough.” Anubis shrugged. “Then what now? Do you want to test anything else?”“No.” Rhys shook his head. “This is enough.”He dismissed the contract and called everyone back into the room.As Hilary, Nayla, and Cassius entered, Rhys smiled faintly.“I have good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?”“The good news,” Hilary answered without the slightest hesitation.Rhys nodded.“The good news is… I found a way to interrogate him with

“I wonder… when did I stop living for myself?”Laura sat quietly, staring into the darkness.“When did I start living only for what everyone else wanted me to be?”Her fingers tightened around the blanket.“I’ve spent my whole life trying to meet their expectations. Everything I’ve done has been for someone else. For the church. For the kingdom. For my teacher.”Rhys’s words from earlier that day drifted back into her mind.“What do you want?”The simple question struck her harder now than it had then.“They took me in,” Laura whispered. “And ever since then, I’ve kept trying to become the saintess everyone expected me to be.”She lowered her gaze.“I’ve done everything I could to make the Eldoria Kingdom proud. I worked hard so my teacher would never be disappointed in me.”A bitter smile slowly appeared.“But somewhere along the way… I lost something precious.”She closed her eyes.“I don’t even remember when it happened. Every day became another request, another order, another expe

Rhys slowly opened his eyes, pulled out of sleep by the soft knocking outside the room. He rubbed his face before turning toward the bed. Meave was still lying beside him, breathing evenly, seemingly fast asleep.Not wanting to wake her, he quietly got out of bed and walked to the door.When he opened it, Laura was standing outside.She had already changed into a simple white sleeping gown. Although she looked ready for bed, her slightly swollen, reddened eyes told a different story. She clearly hadn’t slept at all.Her expression was calm, but there was a determination in her gaze that immediately told Rhys this wasn’t a casual visit.He glanced back at Meave once more. Seeing that she hadn’t moved, he stepped outside and gently closed the door behind him, careful not to make a sound.Neither of them noticed that Meave had actually been awake the entire time.She remained motionless beneath the blanket, her eyes open in the darkness. As soon as Rhys left with Laura, she silently pull

“So, what brings you here?” Carmichael asked as he leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed. His sharp eyes stayed fixed on Rhys, studying him carefully. “It’s not often you come looking for me on your own.”A faint grin spread across his face.“And judging from that expression, you’re definitely plotting something.”Rhys chuckled.“Plotting something? I wouldn’t dare.”“Heh.”Carmichael snorted.“You think I haven’t heard about what you pulled with the Dragon King?”He shook his head, clearly amused.“Not long after I took this position, the Dragon King came to see me himself. He told me everything about Mirova.”He looked at Rhys with disbelief.“I honestly never imagined you’d scam the Dragon King just to get his daughter enrolled in this academy.”Rhys simply smiled without denying it.“So,” Carmichael continued, “what’s your plan regarding that challenge?”“You’ll have to fight her once the six-month protection period ends.”“She may only be a second-year student, but don’t

“Are you stupid?” Skylar snapped. “He clearly said refusing the challenge would lead to an immediate marriage. I don’t even understand why he’s suddenly doing this…”Rhys calmly shook his head.“No. Listen carefully. He only said three things would lead to marriage. Refusing my challenge, losing to me, or beating me.”He raised a finger.“But if we never reach the point where a fight is necessary, then none of those conditions apply.”Skylar blinked.“…What?”“If we can come up with a convincing reason why the match can’t happen in the first place, everything falls apart.”Rhys rubbed his chin.“It can’t be something simple like one of us getting sick. That excuse won’t fool your grandfather.”“It has to be something significant.”“Something only you can create.”He looked straight at her.“You can think of something, can’t you?”Skylar narrowed her eyes.“Why don’t you come up with it? You’re supposed to be good at these things.”“I could.”Rhys nodded without denying it.“But someon