"The University of Torminas… will be attacked."
The voice echoed through the room.
The roundtable room felt heavier than usual.
The circular chamber, carved from ancient stone, was dimly lit by floating arcane lights that flickered as if they too sensed the tension. Every chair around the massive table was occupied—Elders cloaked in authority, Arcanists radiating power, and at the far end… an unexpected presence.
It was a student.
Silence spread—
Not the ordinary silence of discipline, but a sharp, fractured stillness—as if the very air had cracked.
Lisa's eyes widened instantly. Draves stiffened, his fingers tightening against the table. Oryn leaned forward, his expression sharpening. Eren—despite his usual composure—looked shaken. Even the Principal, seated at the head, froze for a brief moment, the weight of the words sinking deeper than any spell.
And then… eyes shifted.
Towards the unexcepted presence...
Towards Elvin.
An Elder narrowed his gaze."Why… is he here?"
The question carried accusation.
Before the tension could escalate, Oryn spoke, his tone steady but firm.
"I asked him to sit in."
A pause.
The Elder studied Oryn for a long moment… then slowly nodded.
"Very well."
But the room had already changed. Elvin's presence was no longer unnoticed—it was unsettling.
His face looked… wrong.
Dark hollows sat beneath his eyes, not like mere exhaustion but like something had been drained out of him. The shadows weren't soft—they were deep, bruised, almost unnatural. His gaze lacked rest… lacked warmth. It was the look of someone who hadn't just lost sleep… but something far more important.
The Elder continued.
"We have received… another letter."
A murmur rippled across the table.
"From the guard who is hiding."
Lisa immediately leaned forward, her voice sharp.
"That's impossible. There's no way that guard is still alive this time—"
"Enough."
The Elder cut her off coldly.
"There is still a possibility."
His voice hardened.
"The previous letter lacked details… yet it was correct."
The words hung like a verdict.
Lisa clenched her jaw."That doesn't make this one reliable—"
Someone spoke cutting off Lisa words.
The Elder's gaze shifted.
Before anyone else could react, Elvin spoke.
His voice was low. Controlled. But something inside it felt… hollow.
"There's no reason to dismiss it completely."
Lisa turned to him, frustration flashing—but she stopped.
Because he didn't look at her.
He looked… through her.
"If even a part of it is true," he continued, "ignoring it would be worse than believing it."
A pause.
Then, quieter—
"And we can't afford to be wrong again."
Something in his tone made the room colder.
Lisa exhaled slowly… then leaned back.
"…Fine."
The resistance faded—but uneasily.
Elvin didn't stop.
"If the number of guards is minimal…" he said, his voice gaining a faint edge, "then the students will fight."
That caused a stir.
One of the Elders nodded slowly.
"A reasonable conclusion."
Draves shifted, clearly wanting to speak—his eyes flickering with disagreement—but the logic had already settled into the room like an unmovable weight.
He opened his mouth—
And closed it.
The Principal placed a hand lightly on the table.
"That will be enough, Draves."
A quiet command.
Draves leaned back, frustration buried but not gone.
The Elder stood once more.
"Those who wish to fight… may do so. Including the students."
A pause.
"Those who do not… will remain in the dormitories."
The decision was final.
"The letter contains approx. date of the attack. So, there is not much plenty of time for us to strategize and also, we can't ask our queen to send reinforcement. Thus, this time we need to utilize our students as well as the remaining guards. We can't afford the loss of university again."
The elders voice echoed through the surrounding.
"The meeting is concluded and the attack is set to be incoming tomorrow. So, we elders need everyone of you to use your brains and willpower in this war.", He spoke and then raised his hands, palm forward facing.
"Oh God... Let the world shine for us.", He spoke closing one eye.
The decision was final.
No debate. No appeal.
"Meeting dismissed."
Chairs scraped against stone. The room slowly emptied, voices hushed, tension lingering like a curse that refused to lift.
One by one, they left.
Until—
"Draves."
The Elder's voice stopped him.
The doors closed behind the others.
The air shifted again.
"…Let us talk," the Elder said quietly, "about the traitor."
Draves' expression darkened.
Across the room, Lisa hesitated before leaving.
"The date mentioned…" she said, glancing back, "it's suspicious."
The Elder didn't flinch.
"Suspicion does not change necessity."
His eyes narrowed.
"We must believe it."
Lisa's lips pressed into a thin line.
Then she turned—and walked out.
The corridor outside felt colder than before.
"Elvin."
Her voice called out.
He stopped.
Slowly.
Without turning at first.
When he did… the shadows under his eyes seemed even deeper in the dim light, like something inside him was slowly collapsing.
Lisa studied him carefully.
"…What's wrong with you?"
A long pause.
Elvin gave a faint smile.
But it didn't reach his eyes.
"Nothing."
The word felt empty.
And for the first time—
Lisa wasn't convinced.
"Tell everyone who want to join, come to the ground now.", She spoke looking into the eyes which were hollow.
"Yeah", Elvin spoke nodding.
Lisa left and as she was going, Elvin observed from behind and gave a grin as if his work is complete.
—————————
In the Roundtable conference room.
"Traitor", Draves spoke as he looked towards the Elders.
"Yeah, It seems like there is a traitor in us.", an elder spoke.
"So, you are saying that I am the traitor.", Draves spoke.
"Don't run your brain on misunderstanding.", an elder spoke looking towards Draves with his one eye close and his hands on chin.
"Then who...", Draves spoke cracking his voice.
"The letter about the attack also state about a traitor.", Elder spoke.
Silence spread.
Draves looked into the eyes as he was speechless or rather, he was unable to grasp anything.
"The traitor among us is none other than your...", Elder spoke as they make their tone high.
"Beloved Curse child."
Draves eyes widened as he was unable to believe what he had heard but the elders didn't stop.
"The boy you chose to save… will be the one who destroys us. Your curse child—Kira."