Sora was still avoiding Null's gaze when Illiana tilted her head.
"Oh, by the way, Sora-chan."
Sora's expression cooled. "What."
"I heard you're leaving in three days. To visit family. And that you won't be back until the Atlantis banquet."
"Yes."
Null glanced at her. "You are leaving?"
"Yes."
"For how long?"
"About two weeks."
"I see."
Illiana's eyes widened. "Null-kun. You didn't know?"
Sora folded her arms as she avoided his stare. "I intended to inform you later "
"When?" Illiana cut in with delight. "After you boarded the carriage?"
"It just hadn't come up."
"You both spent alone time for two days."
Sora remained silent.
Illiana and Null gave her a long stare.
Illiana leaned toward Null, "You see, Null-kun. Sora is not very good at personal disclosures."
"Th-That isn't true."
"Then why is this the first instance he is hearing about it?"
Sora was stomped.
Illiana clasped her hands dramatically. "Null-kun," she began, "she isn't just Saintess Sora. She is a high noble lady."
"Oh really?" He placed a hand lightly over his chest, adopting an expression of polite awe.
Sora pinched the bridge of her nose. "It is not a secret. It is simply not relevant inside the Sanctum."
"Irrelevant?" Illiana gasped in mock horror. "Her reverence, Sora von Luminous, hails from the Luminous Duchy within Atlantis Empire."
"A duchy?"
Sora closed her eyes, refusing to engage. "It is not a matter of societal importance."
"Sssss! Not important? Even though you are literally the heiress to one of the four dukedoms in the empire."
"Furthermore, Null-kun. Her father, Siegfried von Luminous, is one of the most powerful men on the board—politically, militarily, and financially. You name it, he dominates it." Illiana folded her hands.
"Oh, and her mother," She continued, undeterred by Sora's rising glare. "One of the most gorgeous women in the empire. They say her beauty and grace rivals even Her Holiness."
Illiana turned back to Null, eyes shining. "I even visited her home once, you know."
Null looked intrigued. "You did?"
"Yes!" she said, almost bouncing. "The Luminous estate is breathtaking. White marble terraces overlooking the sea. Endless gardens glowing at sunset. Crystal chandeliers that look like captured starlight."
"They welcomed me like family." Her tone gained a ting of sincerity. "Duke Siegfried himself greeted me at the gates,. And the Duchess—she embraced me as if I'd always belonged there." She smiled faintly. "I've never forgotten that."
"That sounds warm," Null said retrospectively.
"It was," Illiana admitted quietly. Then, flashing her usual spark, she brightened instantly.
"My parents value hospitality," Sora said quietly.
Illiana smiled faintly, her eyes locked onto her friend. "They place immense value on you," she corrected gently.
Sora didn't answer that.
"So you are not only a Saintess. You are a ducal heiress. And you intend to retreat to your seaside estate without informing your battlefield assistant."
Sora waved her hand with slight panic, "No. Its just, i didn't know how to broach—"
"Disclosure problem, right?"
Illiana pressed her lips together.
Sora exhaled slowly. "It was a mid-term visit. There was no urgency."
"So in three days," Null said. "you depart."
"Yes."
Illiana rocked back on her heels, her eyes glinting with a fresh wave of mischief. "Hehe… Null-kun."
"Yes?"
She tilted her head, her smile turning wickedly sweet. "Are you going to miss our Sora?"
Silence.
Null looked briefly caught off guard. "I beg your pardon?"
Sora's breath stilled. She forced herself to not look at him. She absolutely refused to look at him—except.
From the corner of her peripheral vision, her sky-blue eyes flickered toward him, searching for his expression. A subconscious expectation stirred.
Null opened his mouth, then chose his footing carefully. "I will indeed miss my battlefield mentor."
"And will therefore need to recalibrate my mission efficiency."
Illiana stared. "Null-kun, you are dodging the question."
"I didn't dodge."
Illiana went silent. Indeed, he did say he will miss sora. But implied it differently.
"Hah, Careful, You're addressing high nobility here."
Null turned to Sora and inclined his head with exaggerated grace. "My apologies, Lady Sora Of Radiance."
"Lady Radiance?" Illiana contributed immediately. " Null-kun, good job. The radiant noble lady, returning to her white marble estate—"
"This conversation has become nonsense." Sora stated with frigid eyes.
"Illiana."
"What?" Illiana's half-elven ears perked in danger.
"Let's have a training spar."
"Null-kun, help."
(Forgive me, illiana-san. I hope i won't see you in two pieces the next time we meet.)
...
The western administrative wing was stone and quiet.
Null stopped before a heavy oak door banded in iron. The bronze plaque: Commander Dhomnac — Sanctum Field Operations.
He knocked once. A deep voice answered immediately. "Enter."
Commander Dhomnac's office was practical and functional. Maps covered one wall, each marked with pins and annotations. Weapon racks lined another—and a massive two-handed blade was encased in a glass vault.
Dhomnac was a beastkin—broad-shouldered, powerfully built, and easily a head taller than most men. Silver hair pulled neatly behind his head. His golden eyes lifted from a stack of reports, locking onto Null.
"Report."
No greeting. Null preferred it that way.
"Practical combat examination completed. Unexpected escalation—greater demon-class target."
"I read the preliminary notice. I want your account
"As you intended: real battle supersedes controlled simulation."
"That it does. Continue."
"Initial encounter involved an F-rank mana beast. A Dire Wolf."
"How did it die?"
"Through direct engagement."
"Details."
Null replayed the moment. "It charged without hesitation. I didn't yield ground. Closed the distance, severed its front leg at the joint to break its balance, and followed with an upward thrust beneath the jaw."
Dhomnac nodded once. "For your first life-threatening battle, not bad."
"What about the demon?" the commander pressed.
"He call himself Mor'gan Urroreth. B-rank adversary."
"I never heard of him. I will take a look at the Demonic battlefront records later."
"How much did you contribute to his defeat," Dhomnac said.
"Saintess Sora held the primary engagement. The demon relied on regeneration and brute suppression. I observed his movements and kept track of his action patterns."
"You had time to observe?"
"Yes."
Dhomnac did not question it further. "And?"
"I used a poison-coated arrow as a threat-disruption. And the Saintess capitalized on it."
Dhomnac gave a short nod. "I'm glad the poison vial I gave you came in handy."
"That is what I wanted to hear." He leaned back slightly. "You followed her instructions, right?"
"...Well, for the most part."
Dhomnac narrowed his eyes for a second but let it pass.
"You didn't freeze. You didn't panic. You found a use for what you had and trusted your partner with it, Good."
He paused.
"What is the greatest difference between the training grounds and real battle?" Dhomnac asked.
"Uncertainty."
"Be specific."
"In training, variables are controlled. In real battle, variables multiply beyond prediction—terrain shifts, ally stamina, enemy psychology, emotional interference."
"Emotional interference?" Dhomnac repeated.
"Yes."
"And yet you remained composed."
"I compartmentalized."
Dhomnac studied him for several seconds. "As your instructor, my objective has been simple: to ensure you became strong enough to survive on your own. You are approaching that threshold."
"That is not a compliment. It is an assessment."
"I assumed as much"
Dhomnac's golden eyes hardened a fraction. "Understand this. Real battle experience is irreplaceable. Today you learned three things." Null did not interrupt. "First, intimidation is a weapon. You denied it fuel. Second, coordination multiplies strength. Your poison arrow was not glory-seeking; it was tactical. Third, you adapted under real consequences. That," Dhomnac said firmly, "is growth."
The room fell silent.
Null digested the clarification. "I will continue improving."
I expect you to. Meet me tomorrow morning in the training hall. I am upping your training regimen. Be ready. Dismissed for now. Go and rest. You earned it."
"Yes, Commander."
As he turned to leave, Dhomnac spoke again. "Null."
He paused.
"You did well."
It was simple, direct, and earned. A faint smile touched Null's lips. "Thank you, Teach."