Draven's hand is still on Silas's back. He nodded once, his jaw tightening. He remembered it perfectly. When Silas had used his Divination skill months ago, it hadn't shown a human race on draven's panel , It had shown something else entirely, something non human.
The realization settled between them in the quiet room. The girl hadn't given the flower to a random student. She had given it to the one person in the dream who wasn't human, the one person she expected to survive long enough to need it.
Silas looked at Draven, his voice steady and firm. "We need to figure this out one piece at a time, Draven. For now, the only thing we can do is get stronger. Did you notice? You only had that dream after you reached the apex of your current level."
Draven nodded, his expression dark with thought. "I hit level 50 right before I went to sleep. That dream came to me the moment I did. I've been thinking the same thing all night."
Silas cupped Draven's face in both hands and gave him a small, tired chuckle. "Then let's put it aside for now. You should try to sleep for a few more hours. She won't disturb you again, at least not for a while."
Draven held his gaze for a moment, then nodded and let himself lie back down. The tension bled from his shoulders bit by bit. Within minutes, his breathing evened out.
Silas stayed beside the bed, watching him. He sighed quietly. This world was getting more complicated by the day. Dreams that carried real flowers, entities that could force his system to defend him, and a catastrophe that even the woman in white seemed to fear. Getting stronger wasn't a goal anymore. It was a deadline.
On the other side,
Inside Valerius Castle, the hall was cold and silent.
Aleric was kneeling on one knee, his head bowed before Archduke Cassian.
Cassian sat motionless on his seat, fingers steepled, his expression unreadable in the dim light. A shadowy figure stood beside him, its form shifting at the edges like smoke that refused to settle.
The shadowy figure stepped out of the darkness. It was Ignis Veyran.
In the Valerius family, every member had a guardian at their side. Ignis was the guardian of the current Archduke, Cassian. He had protected Cassian since childhood.
Aleric recognized him instantly, and a shudder ran through his whole body. He knew exactly who this was. Ignis Veyran, the strongest fire element user in the entire Empire, blessed with divine affinity.
Kneeling beside Aleric was another man, Torin. He kept his head down, fear plain on his face just from being in the presence of the two figures before him.
Cassian's voice boomed through the hall. "What is your reason for bringing beastmen into my territory?"
Aleric felt the weight of that pressure settle on his shoulders, but he did not waver. "Archduke, they saved me. They were the ones who pulled me out from those beast soldiers. How could I leave them to their fate after that?"
Here, in the main hall, they were not father and son. They were only Archduke and Margrave.
Cassian's sharp gaze shifted to Torin, assessing him. He saw immediately that this beastman was low in level, no threat to the archduchy. He sighed. "I know they saved you. It is your duty to repay that debt. But you also know the rules of our family. We do not interfere in any fight between the Imperium and the Beast Empire."
Aleric nodded, his jaw tight. "I was blind to the family rules, Father, but I cannot betray my heart. I needed to save them, no matter what. I am ready to face any consequence for that."
Torin's head snapped up, tears welling in his eyes. "Archduke! We villagers know we were wrong to come here. Do not punish him. Please, just help the children. Let them stay. I will go back to the Beast Empire with the envoy they sent."
"No!" Aleric shouted. "They will kill you if they get you back under their control. Father, it is my duty to save them. If I cannot save them, how will I ever become a good man?" It was the first time he had called him 'Father' in this hall.
Cassian studied them both in silence, his expression unreadable. Finally, he spoke, his tone cold and final. "Margrave Aleric, you completely ignored the family rules and brought beastmen into Valerius territory."
The next words fell like stones. "From now on, you are only a margrave within the Valerius Archduchy. You are dismissed from the line of succession. You will not take the next Archduke position. You are stripped of the title of First Young Master of the Valerius family. You are expelled from the family."
"No," Torin whispered, nearly breaking down. Because of him, because of the villagers, Aleric had lost his position and been cast out.
Aleric bowed his head. "As you wish, Archduke. I accept my punishment."
Cassian continued, his voice giving nothing away. "You will be granted your own territory from this day forward. You will serve as a subordinate noble of the Valerius Archduchy."
Aleric nodded again. He understood. His father wasn't casting him aside. He was saving them. The Imperium could not touch a noble under the jurisdiction of the archduchy, nor could they punish someone who had already been judged by the Archduke himself. It was written in Imperial law: punishment fell to the lord of the land, and to no one else. By expelling him and making him a subordinate, Cassian had placed Aleric and the beastmen under his protection, while keeping the Valerius name clean in the eyes of the Empire.
Another person entered the hall and handed a set of documents to Archduke Cassian. Aleric's eyes narrowed slightly. So it was decided before I even arrived. He wasn't surprised. His father was the most intelligent person in the archduchy right now, second only to his grandfather.
Cassian pressed his seal onto the papers with a heavy thud, then handed them to Aleric. "I am afraid they will try to harm you or the villagers in a different way. Stay safe. If you need any help, just ask me."
Aleric nodded. He knew his family would not abandon him, no matter what. The rules of the Valerius family were bound by something ancient and terrifying, something even they could not control. That was why every detail had to be followed to the letter, even if it meant cutting ties on the surface.
Torin was still crying when Cassian turned to him. "Torin, thank you for saving my son. The Valerius Archduchy will never forget your contribution. Your people will be safe as long as the name Valerius exists."
Torin lowered his head in shame. Because of him, a family had been torn apart, and Aleric had been expelled. He understood now that everything Cassian did was to protect them all.
Aleric placed a hand on his shoulder and shook his head, telling him not to cry. Torin still sobbed quietly. After a few more words, the two of them left the main hall.
Cassian exhaled slowly. "Did I go too hard on him?"
Ignis finally broke his silence with a sigh. "I do not think the margrave will mind. He knows the family rules. He understands your position."
Cassian nodded, then looked at the empty space where Aleric had knelt. "What do you think?"
The spot was clear. No one was there. But in the next second, the void split and a man stepped out, clad in elegant purple robes that seemed to crackle with silent lightning.
He was the Thunder Lord, a level 80 wizard with divine affinity for purple thunder. His name was Zephiron Vaelstrum, a protector so secret that the entire Imperium believed there were only seven divine affinity users. Zephiron was the eighth.
He bowed slightly. "Lord Aleric is strong. He will be alright, my lord. I will protect him from his side, as I have done before."
Cassian nodded, and Zephiron vanished back into the void as silently as he had appeared.
Yes, Zephiron was Aleric's true guardian. He had watched over him since childhood. Even during the Tiger Village incident, he had been there, hidden in the shadows. He only intervened if Aleric's life was in true danger. He was the one who had carried Aleric to that village when he was unconscious and left him where Torin could find him.
Aleric did not know any of this. He thought the man had gone missing years ago. But Zephiron had never been missing to begin with.
In an apartment room, a knock sounded at the door.
Theron had just woken up. He stepped out of the bathroom wearing only a towel, freshly washed and running a hand through his damp hair. He was about to head out for breakfast when he heard the knock.
"Coming," he called.
He pulled the door open and saw Jacob standing there.
Theron's face lit up instantly. Without a second thought, he grabbed Jacob's hand and dragged him inside, shutting the door behind them in one smooth motion.
Theron didn't waste a second. The moment the door clicked shut, he backed Jacob against it, close enough that Jacob could feel the heat from his skin and the faint scent of soap still clinging to him.
"You missed me that much, huh?" Theron murmured, his voice low and amused. His thumb brushed over Jacob's knuckles where he was still holding his hand, not letting go. "Running all the way here before breakfast."
Jacob tried to keep his composure, but Theron leaned in, letting the damp edge of his towel brush against Jacob's jeans. "You know, I was just thinking about you in the shower. Terrible timing on your part. Or maybe perfect timing."
He tilted his head, eyes dragging down Jacob's face, then back up, slow and deliberate. "Your face is red. Why? I haven't even done anything yet."
That was the trick. After that night of confession, Theron never actually touched him beyond these little brushes of skin, the way he boxed him in without pinning him, the way his voice dipped just enough to make Jacob's pulse stutter. He knew Jacob's line, and he danced right up to it without stepping over. Respect was there in every glance, but so was the mischief.
"You're staring," Theron said with a soft laugh, reaching up to tuck a piece of hair behind Jacob's ear. The movement made the towel at his waist shift dangerously. "See something you like?"
Jacob finally snapped. With a frustrated, flustered noise, he reached out and yanked the towel clean off Theron's hips in one swift motion.
The effect was instant. Theron froze, completely naked, the cool air hitting him all at once. His eyes went wide, and every bit of that teasing confidence cracked.
"Jacob," he hissed, immediately turning and trying to cover himself with his hands, his face burning. "Give that back."