Sunday morning arrived.
"Adela, did Elizabeth say anything about what I asked?" Last night, after the meeting with the daughter of the Valois' main wife, I sent Adela to find out her opinion.
"She said she will attend the banquet, master," she replied as she finished preparing my things. "But I still think we shouldn't go."
"Hmm, I don't see any strong reason to attend either, except for Elizabeth," I commented, assessing the situation.
"She can take care of herself, master. It's not for nothing that she endured so many years being the center of attention of all those cunning old men," Adela replied confidently.
"I know. Besides, it seems she finally reached level six aura, just like you did with the circles."
Adela nodded with a serious expression. Knowing that Elizabeth now possessed that level of personal power, combined with her business acumen, made her a much harder piece for the Valois to move.
"But what do you think they're really after with that invitation?" Adela insisted, crossing her arms. "Did what happened at the auction really draw that much attention?"
"I don't think so," I replied, downplaying it. "They're probably just trying to make sure I have no real value. People like them don't like leaving even the slightest doubt."
Adela looked at me with a doubtful expression, not entirely convinced.
"But if you don't go… how will they see it? Any count's son would be more than happy to attend a private banquet hosted by a duke's heir. Just rejecting the invitation is already a message in itself, master."
"Exactly," I nodded with a crooked smile. "If I go, I waste time pretending interest. If I don't, they'll think I'm arrogant or an idiot who doesn't understand politics. Either way, they'll leave me alone a little longer."
Adela sighed, knowing my logic was usually crushing when it came to avoiding unnecessary social events. Still, she looked at me like someone already expecting trouble.
"I feel like this will only make them pay even more attention to you, master," she said in a resigned tone as she finished arranging everything. "In a place like this, if someone like you dismisses a Valois invitation, they won't think it's due to lack of interest. They'll be convinced you feel powerful enough not to need them."
I remained silent for a moment, partially agreeing.
"If I go, they'll investigate me closely. If I don't, they'll obsess over the reason," I replied with a slight smile. "At least if I don't go, I only have to deal with their schemes from afar, not while trying to eat in peace."
"Elizabeth will be sad…" Adela murmured with a hint of pity. "I'm sure she wanted to see you there."
I leaned back slightly, considering her words. I knew that for Elizabeth, my presence wasn't just a matter of business, but a personal support she valued more than any contract.
"We can go visit her later," I replied, downplaying it. "Either way, at the Valois estate we wouldn't have had any real contact."
…
Meanwhile, in her office, Sylvia Sterling was alone with Professor Elena Thorne.
"Master… did you really go so far as to give yourself to him?" Elena asked, a mix of shock and reproach in her voice.
Sylvia looked at her with a crooked smile, resting her chin on her hand with a calmness that unsettled her subordinate.
"Don't make me laugh, Elena. If not him, then who do you expect?" she replied naturally. "Certainly not that old man in the palace who's been stuck in the ninth circle for centuries and thinks himself a god because of it."
Elena fell silent for a moment, processing the coldness of the response, but she couldn't hold back the doubt gnawing at her the most.
"But… the age difference…"
"Age?" Sylvia let out a dry laugh. "What does age matter when both of us can live well over a hundred years? At our level, years are just numbers. Besides, Elena, you should have seen him… that boy has nothing 'young' in his eyes. Treating him like an ordinary student is the biggest mistake you could make."
Elena lowered her gaze, remembering the pressure she felt the last time she was near Cassian. She knew the Headmistress was right, but seeing her so fascinated by a student was still hard to digest.
"Besides… aren't you interested too?" Sylvia added, casting her an inquisitive look that made Elena tense in place. "He fulfilled your revenge, after all."
Professor Thorne opened her mouth to protest, but the Headmistress gave her no chance to interrupt. Remembering how Cassian had eliminated those who tormented her, with a coldness she herself didn't possess, left her without arguments.
"I have to tell you something, Elena: with a man like that, the longer you wait, the harder it will be later," Sylvia continued in an almost complicit tone. "Right now you can still get close, but it won't be long before he's surrounded by all kinds of women. If you keep hesitating over 'ethics' or age, you'll be left out."
Elena clenched her fists, feeling the heat rise up her neck. It wasn't just the bluntness of her teacher's words that bothered her, but the truth behind them. She remembered Cassian's presence, that absolute calm that seemed to ignore any hierarchy, and how her own level seven aura felt small in comparison.
"Master, I… am his teacher," Elena managed to say, though her voice wasn't as firm as she would have liked.
"And I'm the Headmistress, Elena. Do you think that stopped me?" Sylvia laughed, leaning back in her chair. "In this world, power recognizes power. Don't waste time on rules he doesn't even bother to follow."
…
Sunday night advanced, and the Valois banquet was still in full swing, but Elizabeth had already slipped away. She received us in her private residence, still wearing the elegant gala dress she had used for the event, though she had removed her jewelry and let her hair down, seeking some relief after hours of forced smiles.
"Master, I'm surprised you actually kept your word and came," Elizabeth said with a bow that contrasted with her imposing presence as a businesswoman.
She looked radiant; her level six aura vibrated with newfound confidence, giving her an air of authority that even Adela found hard to ignore. She approached us and, for a moment, set aside her diplomatic mask.
"I preferred this a thousand times over enduring the Valois' toasts," I replied, sitting down naturally. "Besides, Adela was convinced you'd be disappointed if I didn't show up."
Elizabeth let out a soft laugh, casting Adela a knowing glance as she poured herself a glass of wine to wash away the bitter taste of the official dinner.
"I wasn't disappointed, just… anxious," Elizabeth admitted softly, a tone she only showed in my presence. She removed the silk gloves from her gala dress and let out a sigh of relief. "The banquet was exhausting, master. The Valois kept circling, and I think they didn't expect you not to appear."
I smiled in understanding.
"Though I did hear something interesting, master," Elizabeth added, breaking the silence with a more serious tone. "It seems that little princess who used to spend time with you will come with the Lucratis delegation. It's been about two years since she stopped coming whenever she could. They have arranged an engagement for her with the crown prince."
Her words made me recall someone I had already buried deep in my memory. That young woman I helped rise to power, who became arrogant once she obtained what she wanted.
I nodded with complete indifference, the news not causing the slightest change in my expression.
"Let her come if she wants," I replied dismissively. "Whatever happened in the past stayed there. I have no reason to care about her presence now."
Elizabeth looked at me, searching for any trace of resentment or interest, but found only the emptiness of my disdain.
"I wonder if she's still strong even after you stopped helping her," Elizabeth remarked, forming an almost devilish smile, as if she held a secret she had no intention of revealing yet.
I kept my expression impassive, though I understood perfectly what she meant.
"Power that doesn't come from oneself is an illusion," I replied with disdain. "If she didn't know what to do with what I gave her, that's her problem, not mine."
We spent the rest of the evening talking calmly, letting time pass without pressure. For one night, surrounded only by the warmth of the two people who knew me best. Being there, between Adela's silent loyalty and Elizabeth's devoted presence, was the only moment when I didn't need to wear any mask.