Raizen stared at the stack of research papers he had been working on.
Then, at the single piece of paper Leon had handed him just minutes ago.
"Sera," he said quietly.
A well-dressed woman stepped out from the shadows. "Yes, my lord."
She had dark skin and a muscular build, with long black hair and obsidian eyes. A heavy sword rested on her back, its size nearly matching her own height.
"I want you to look into that boy. Leon Valentine. Find out everything. Where he’s been, what he’s studied, and who he’s spoken to... all of it."
Sera didn’t flinch.
"Isn’t he the boy you just admitted in Eclipse? The... uh, third son of Duke Orion?"
Raizen narrowed his eyes.
"Yes, he proved his worth... but I feel like his objective was something other than just proving his intelligence."
There was no way Raizen would just let it go, not when a boy with a reputation for being a complete fool in society had suddenly turned into a genius researcher overnight.
’Or... has he been hiding his potential all this time?’
Even so, what would he gain from hiding his intelligence?
’Does he want something from me?’
That was entirely possible.
’But he didn’t ask for anything worthwhile in return...’
All he had requested was a glimpse of Raizen’s Unique Skill, using it as learning material to refine his theory.
"What do you think Sera?" Raizen asked.
"My lord, if I may," Sera said, crossing her arms. "That boy only has brains. I still don’t understand why you want me to look into him."
"Haha." Raizen let out a short laugh, his expression tightening as he tapped his index finger against the answer sheet Leon had written.
"Didn’t you see it? He handed me something that would’ve taken me fifty years to develop."
"..."
"And this isn’t just about his intelligence," Raizen added, rising from his chair and walking toward the window. "It felt like... he can offer me much more."
"Heh. That’s rare coming from you."
Raizen gazed out the window.
"My aged eyes can see what others can’t."
Just then, loud banging echoed from the door.
KNOCK—! KNOCK—!
"Grandpa! Open up!"
The doors slammed open before Raizen could answer.
In stomped a girl with long black hair, its tips dyed in light purple, matching the sharp fury in her dark red eyes.
She was dressed in casual gear clearly unfit for the elegance of House Nightson, she marched straight in without a shred of grace or patience.
Sera stepped aside with the act of someone who had no interest in getting in the way.
"Gandpa," the girl growled, "what the absolute hell is this bullshit!?"
Raizen turned around, raising a brow, completely unfazed.
"Good evening to you too, Alice."
"Don’t ’evening’ me you old man! Why the hell is my name on Eclipse’s applicant shortlist!?"
Raizen acted surprised, placing a hand on his chest.
"Oh my, how did that happen?" he said, "and did you only just find out?"
"Of course I just found out! Do you think I’d let my name be on that noble clown circus list if I knew!?" She jabbed a finger at him. "You know I can’t stand those assholes, ego-inflated nobles!"
Sera tried very hard not to laugh.
"Aren’t you a noble yourself, Alice dear?" Raizen innocently asked.
"Tsk, that’s not what I am asking grandpa—"
Before Alice could finish, Raizen slowly turned his back to her, walking toward the window like a man pondering the meaning of life itself.
"Alice," he said gravely, his voice suddenly turning hoarse. "Before I perish from this world..."
"What."
He raised a hand to the heavens.
"My last... my only wish... is to see my beloved granddaughter in Eclipse’s uniform. Just once. Just one time."
"What a creepy wish, and" Her eyes narrowed, "...are you seriously pulling the dying grandpa act?"
But Raizen didn’t stop.
"It is all I ask," he said, dramatically falling to his knees, face to the sky while being inside his office, "on my crumbling knees, with my decrepit bones and failing hairs... let this old man’s final dream come true!"
Alice stared at him blankly.
"Huh? What the actual hell, Grandpa?"
Raizen coughed pathetically. "My heart... it trembles..."
Sera was now openly shaking from silent laughter in the corner. ’I–I cant... this–this is too much...’
Alice sighed, pinched the bridge of her nose, and muttered.
"Fuck me sideways with a rusty pole.. you old geezer actually played the guilt card here."
Then, with a dramatic groan of her own, she plopped down on the chair near his desk.
"Ugh, fuck." she growled, glaring at him. "One semester. That’s all you get, and I swear to those rotten gods. If a single noble brat tried to talk me down, I’m gonna put a sword in their fancy asses."
"Attagirl."
Raizen smiled, making a ’V’ sigh towards Sera.
"...for fuck’s sake," Alice cursed under her breath, before her eyes caught a piece of paper lying on her grandfather’s desk.
’What’s that?’
She leaned over and picked it up, flipping it carefully between her fingers.
It only took her a few seconds to realize what she was looking at.
"Holy shit!"
Her eyes darted across the miniature diagrams and intricate magical formulae on the page.
She flipped the page over.
No name.
"Hey, grandpa..." she muttered, not taking her eyes off the page.
"Yes, my little angel?" Raizen replied sweetly.
She shot him a glare.
"Don’t call me that. Whose research is this?"
Raizen’s expression shifted slightly, just enough for Alice to catch the glint in his eye.
"Hehe."
"Oi!" she barked. "Don’t ’hehe’ me, I’m being serious here. This... this ain’t your handwriting, and it sure as hell doesn’t look like a student’s rough draft."
Raizen slowly folded his arms behind his back, tilting his head with exaggerated innocence.
"You really want to know?"
"Yes, grandpa. Tell me who this mad genius is."
Raizen grinned.
"It’s from one of the applicants I shortlisted today."
Alice’s eyes widened.
"Bullshit."
"I shit you not."
"You’re telling me... this work, this compressed brilliance, came from one of those noble-asses trying to get into Eclipse?"
"Maybe," Raizen said, clearly enjoying himself. "Maybe not."
Alice narrowed her eyes.
"Give me the name, now."
Raizen walked over to his desk.
"Why don’t you find it out yourself?" he said with a smirk. "You’re in the academy now, aren’t you?"
Alice blinked.
"You cheeky old man..."
— — —
The door clicked shut behind him as Leon stepped into the carriage once again.
"How did it go?" Myra asked.
Leon slumped back into the seat with a sigh, "I got in."
Myra blinked. "You... what?"
"I got into Eclipse Institute," he said with a small grin. "Research Scholar, directly under the Headmaster himself."
Myra blinked again, visibly stunned.
"Congratulations, young master. I um... always knew you had it in you."
Leon smirked and closed his eyes.
’Liar.’
As the carriage began to roll, Myra cleared her throat.
"Where to next, young master?"
Leon opened one eye lazily.
"To the market."
Myra nodded without hesitation. "Understood. But I won’t be accompanying you."
Leon’s lips curled into a faint smirk.
’Of course you won’t.’