The infirmary of the Sevianko mansion was silent.
White lights illuminated the room while several family doctors worked quickly around the stretcher where Eleonor lay.
Her armor had been removed. The wound on her shoulder had been stabilized by Noah's ice, but the damage was still severe.
"The bleeding is under control," one of the doctors said.
Sophie watched from the other side of the room with her arms crossed.
"Will she survive?"
The doctor did not answer immediately.
"Yes," she finally said. "But she will need time."
On another nearby stretcher, Noah remained unconscious.
His breathing was stable, but the mark on his back continued to glow faintly.
Mikhail watched him in silence.
He had seen many things in his life.
But what happened in the courtyard of the mansion…
Had no explanation in any record of the guardian families.
"The bearer…" he murmured.
And for the first time in decades, Mikhail felt something close to fear.
The kind of fear that arises when you understand that something has just changed.
And you do not know what to expect from that change.
The chief doctor placed the final stitch on Eleonor's shoulder. The mark on her arm slowly stabilized.
"Freezing the wound was a great help," she said seriously. "If the ice had been weaker, she would have bled to death."
Sophie intertwined her fingers as if in a brief prayer.
Then she looked back at Noah.
The boy's skin was pale. He had small magical friction burns on his forearms. His own body had been affected by his magic.
That made it clear he was not yet prepared to withstand it.
Suddenly, the mark on his back stopped glowing.
Noah's breathing returned to normal.
Sophie slowly exhaled.
"Can you make sure he rests all night?"
"Of course," the doctor replied, lowering her voice. "His body is in shock. It is not just exhaustion. It is as if his magical circuits have been forcibly reconfigured."
She paused before continuing.
"Sleep will help him. And for their safety, I will personally take care of them."
Mikhail stepped toward Noah's bed.
He carefully observed the magical monitor connected to his body.
Then he spoke in a dry voice.
"What does this mean?"
The doctor hesitated for a moment, as if she did not want to say it.
"It means he did not use his power at its maximum."
Silence fell across the room.
Mikhail did not react immediately, but the tension on his face was evident.
Sophie felt a chill run down her spine.
The monitor displayed numbers that made no sense.
Noah's magical circuits appeared on the screen like glowing veins. They showed no signs of wear, despite all the magic he had used during the battle.
And yet…
The energy indicators showed extremely high levels.
Several hours had already passed since the battle.
Calm slowly returned to the mansion.
Guards ran through the corridors.
Short orders could be heard.
Doors opening and closing quickly.
The battle had ended.
The infirmary door opened.
Irina entered with controlled steps, but with a tense expression.
Her eyes were not glowing now.
Her magical sight was turned off.
That alone was a good sign.
Irina never turned off her sight if danger was still nearby.
"Perimeter secured," she reported. "There are no nearby signatures. But…"
Sophie looked up.
"But what?" Sophie asked.
Irina stepped forward until she stood in front of Mikhail.
"The breach they used to enter was not just a strike against the wall. It is a weakened point. A place where the perimeter was sabotaged."
Mikhail frowned.
"You mean the seal was deactivated from the inside?"
"I do not dare say it with certainty," Irina replied. "But it feels… different."
She looked around.
"As if the mansion were more exposed."
Sophie clenched her fists.
Mikhail slowly turned toward her.
"You have something to say, girl."
Sophie first looked at Eleonor.
Then at Noah.
Finally, she spoke.
"When we received the alert that the Minamoto mansion was under attack, the communication did not just cut off."
She took a deep breath.
"It was as if something collapsed the entire network."
Mikhail narrowed his eyes.
Sophie held his gaze.
"The communications center detected it."
She paused.
"The system collapsed from the inside."
The words hung in the air.
Mikhail walked toward a side table where several communication devices rested.
He picked up one of the emergency communicators.
"I want contact with the communications room."
Irina nodded and immediately left.
Sophie walked to Eleonor's bed and adjusted the blanket over her uninjured shoulder.
Eleonor's skin was cold.
Sophie spoke softly.
"Recover soon, my friend."
The doctor heard those words but said nothing.
Mikhail approached Eleonor's bed.
He watched the slow movement of her breathing.
He had seen how strong his granddaughter had become.
Since childhood she had always lived on the edge.
But what happened in the courtyard reminded him of something important.
No matter how strong she was…
She was still human.
Then he looked at Noah.
He remembered the light that had surrounded his body.
The golden glow of his eyes.
The ice spear.
The giant beasts he had summoned.
That had not been normal.
Nor an accident.
That belonged to the mark.
And he had never seen anything like it… not even in Eleonor's mother.
The door opened again.
Two guards entered.
Sophie watched them seriously.
"Prepare the bodies," Mikhail ordered in a grave voice.
He paused.
Irina returned shortly after, accompanied by a communications operator.
"Sir," the operator said, "we managed to open a secure channel."
"Connect me to the ÓBroin mansion," Mikhail ordered.
The operator activated the device.
A small hologram appeared above the table.
"Greetings, Mr. Sevianko," said a voice from the other side.
"We are at Omega alert," Mikhail replied. "We suffered an attack. My granddaughter was severely injured."
He looked at Eleonor.
"But we have stabilized her."
He took a deep breath.
"I need to coordinate an urgent transfer to France. To the Orléans mansion."
"Copy that," the operator responded. "Please wait for confirmation in ten minutes."
The transmission ended.
"To France?" Sophie asked.
"Yes," Mikhail replied. "They must continue their journey."
He breathed deeply.
"And at the Orléans mansion they will be able to tell that boy the truth about what he carries."
His eyes hardened.
"We must prepare for a much greater battle."
Sophie lowered her gaze.
"They confirmed something else."
Mikhail looked at her.
"The seal in Hokkaido has fallen."
Mikhail closed his eyes for a moment.
At that moment the communication activated again.
"Mr. Sevianko, do you copy?"
"Yes."
"The transport is on its way. It will arrive in one hour. Special unit Eco-55 has been dispatched. It is equipped with medical support."
"Understood."
Mikhail activated his internal communicator.
"All personnel must be ready in forty-five minutes for immediate transfer to the naval base."
His voice grew harder.
"This mansion has already been penetrated once."
"I will not wait for it to happen a second time."
Sophie looked again at Eleonor and Noah.
"Will it be safe to move them?"
The doctor answered calmly.
"It is not ideal."
Then she added:
"But with stability seals and medical escort they will not be in danger."
"If they stay here and the attack returns… the risk would be greater."
Mikhail nodded.
"Irina."
"Yes."
"I want a safe route to the naval base."
"Full convoy."
"Everyone who can breathe and hold a weapon."
"Understood."
Mikhail walked toward Eleonor's stretcher.
He gently kissed her forehead.
"I hope you recover soon."
For a moment he watched her in silence.
In his mind appeared the memory of his wife.
"You are the living image of your grandmother."
Then he approached Noah.
The boy was completely motionless.
Too young.
Too fragile for all of this.
And yet… he was the bearer.
The same one who had summoned a giant bear and wolf in the courtyard.
The same one who had changed the course of the battle.
"Wake up when you can," he murmured.
Orders in Russian began to echo through the corridors.
The mansion was being evacuated.
Minutes later Irina returned.
Her eyes were glowing again with her magical sight.
"Route confirmed. No enemy signatures within ten kilometers."
Suddenly she stopped.
Her expression changed.
"What is it?" Sophie asked.
Irina looked toward the window.
"The veil…" she paused.
"The magical veil has just completely disappeared."