"Do you know what finding ancestral artifacts means?" Selphira asked Ren, her eyes studying him with keen interest. "That I’ll become noble?" Ren responded casually, as if discussing the weather. "Not until you reach at least gold rank in school... But it’s more than that, it makes you someone important. Someone who’ll need to know how to play the game." "I’m not interested in those games..." Ren began. "Oh, but you’re already playing, and from what I saw, quite well," her smile widened, eyes twinkling with approval. "Each person in that room saw you differently, and yet..." she paused meaningfully, "none could prove anything concrete about what happened." Lin watched her aunt with relative caution. She was a great ally, but her interests sometimes came at a steep price... For example, the cultivation of her beast would have... "Nobility isn’t just titles and land rights," Selphira continued, her voice carrying many years of accumulated wisdom. "It’s power. Influence. The ability to make others see you as you want them to see you." "Like a normal student who just wants to earn many crystals for his poor family?" Ren suggested innocently. "See, Lin? This is exactly what I’m talking about. The boy already understands the game better than most adult nobles." ♢♢♢♢ Shortly after Selphira and Ren left the room, the remaining adults regained their composure, but... Wei practically jumped from his seat, nearly tripping in his haste. "I... uh... have to go," he muttered while backing toward the door. His eyes carefully avoided making contact with the powerful figures remaining in the room. "So soon?" Julius smiled, clearly enjoying his discomfort. "Yes, I have to... buy a rune," Wei swallowed hard while glancing sideways to where Lin had been. If she was a close niece to Matriarch Selphira, perhaps he should make sure that rune was of especially good quality. Victor let out an amused snort while Wei practically fled from the room. "I’m leaving too," Zhao stood with a smile that threatened to split his face in two. "Why is the "cold blooded hunter of Yano" so happy?" Victor asked, though everyone knew the answer. "Oh, nothing in particular," Zhao tried to maintain composure, but his eyes sparkled like a child in a candy store. "Just... matters to attend to." "Matters related to a certain potion?" Julius teased. Zhao’s smile widened even further, if that was possible. "I don’t know what you’re talking about." Director Ignatius watched the professor practically float toward the exit, a stab of envy piercing him. Everyone present, except him, either was or would be a double tamer. But as a respectable director, he maintained his neutral and elegant expression. "You can take your time visiting your student relatives," he offered with all the dignity he could muster. "As main benefactors of the academy, you have free access to the facilities. Though it will be a favor since visits aren’t school´s normal policy." "Normal policy?" Victor laughed. "You mean you can’t deny us entry even if you wanted to." "Victor," Julius warned, though he was smiling at seeing Ignatius ’elegance’ falter. Sirius, who had remained silent, headed toward the door with an annoyed expression. It was obvious that Selphira had escaped their previous discussion by coming here. "Lord Starweaver," the director called. "Don’t you wish to see your daughter?" Read new chapters at freewebnovel "It’s not necessary," Sirius responded dryly without stopping. He reached the door and opened it, but stopped. His hand tensed on the handle as he seemed to fight an internal battle. After what seemed like an eternal moment, he released the door again and turned. "Where..." he coughed uncomfortably. "Where are they keeping her?" Julius and Victor exchanged a meaningful look while the director gave Sirius directions... they nodded before turning to the director. "We’ll go see Larissa too," Julius announced. "Yes," Victor nodded. "And director... don’t forget what was agreed upon." Ignatius sighed. "The six new operatives." "Exactly," Victor smiled, but there was no warmth in his expression. "The previous ones were... insufficient." "They’re good elements," the director defended. "So good they sided with the girls," Victor responded coldly. "This time they’ll be different," Julius intervened. "More experienced and specialized in searching." "And more lethal for the remaining spies," Victor added. Sirius, who had been listening to the exchange, frowned. "More guards for the girls?" "To protect them and search for the ring," Julius explained. "Luna must become strong... she doesn’t need..." Sirius began, but Victor interrupted him. "No? Didn’t you read the report? She needed help when that spy almost took her to Yino." The silence that followed was tense. Julius broke it. "We’ll pay all costs for these 8 years as agreed, don’t worry... Even though they’ve been discovered, she’ll be protected as best as possible." Sirius clenched his fists but didn’t respond. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺 "The new operatives will arrive tonight," Victor continued, his tone brooking no argument. "And this time, director, make sure they have free and constant access to protect them... Or next time," he smiled while his Qilin manifested a golden aura, "we won’t be so understanding about security failures in your academy." Julius sighed, "He’s just worried about Larissa, director, don’t take it to heart. This time we need you to allow more freedom to the assets." "The students will be frightened, the spies will be even more careful," Ignatius lightly protested. "Good," Victor headed toward the door. "Perhaps a little fear and stress will teach them to respect our kingdom." As the three last visitors left to see the girls, the director remained alone in his office, contemplating how to maintain the delicate balance between protection and ’learning freedom’ in his academy. He wondered if this time the cure wouldn’t be worse than the disease. ♢♢♢♢ "So," Selphira smiled as they walked, "what do you plan to do with the potions you obtained?" "Give them away... One is for my teacher Lin," Ren responded immediately, causing his teacher to nearly stumble. "For me?" Lin blinked in surprise. "Of course, teacher," Ren nodded while his mushrooms pulsed softly. "You’ve earned it with all the support and training you’ve given me." "Little one," Selphira stopped, studying him with curiosity. "Do you have any idea how much one of those potions is worth?" "Not really," Ren shrugged. "But it doesn’t matter." The elderly woman laughed softly. "With a single potion you could obtain enormous favors from noble families when you assume your position." "I don’t want to be noble," Ren protested. "No?" Selphira arched an eyebrow. "You don’t want anything? You have no ambition? You said something about getting crystals for your family, right?" Ren paused a moment, considering. "Well... I’d like to get a decent house for my parents. One that’s not on the outskirts, that helps them feel successful and not have to walk with their heads down." "A decent house for your parents?" Selphira repeated. "How good?" "Something in the city would be nice," Ren responded. "It doesn’t need to be anything special..." "Ah," Selphira smiled shrewdly. "Do your parents deserve just something ’decent’? Or do they deserve the best?"