A short silence settled between them…
It was not a comfortable silence, but one stretched tight like a string about to snap, where caution, anticipation, and something deeper… something unspoken, were intertwined.
Shirin was the first to break it internally. Even though she did not speak, her eyes moved between faiser, shin, and the uncle, and her heart still carried the of that moment… that aura she had felt earlier, that sensation she could not explain no matter how hard she tried.
"This person…"
she thought, lowering her gaze slightly.
"He wasn't normal… he wasn't just a lost man as he claims…"
She raised her eyes toward him again, but quickly looked away.
"But… why does he seem now… this normal?"
As for shin…
He was staring.
Not with threat.
But with focus.
The gaze of a leader accustomed to reading others, yet this time… he had reached no clear conclusion.
"This man…"
"His words are logical… his actions convincing… but…"
His thoughts stopped at one point.
"There is something… that does not match."
As for the uncle…
He did not speak.
But he was not unaware.
His eyes, calm on the surface, were observing the smallest details, as if trying to pull something from within faiser without asking directly.
But—
faiser…
Had already reached what he wanted.
"Good…"
he said internally.
"This tension… this is exactly what I needed."
And in the next moment—
He changed.
He smiled.
A light, natural… convincing smile.
Then let out a short laugh, as if everything said moments ago was nothing more than a simple misunderstanding.
"Hah… it seems I made the atmosphere heavier than it should be."
He raised his hand slightly, in a light apologetic gesture, then said in a flexible tone:
"I didn't mean for my words to sound that serious, but as I said… the idea of entering a place that holds this much mystery… makes me more excited than I should be."
Then he stepped forward, and bowed slightly toward the uncle, this time with a clear gesture of respect, though it did not reach the level of submission:
"It is truly an honor to be among you, within a sect of such size and standing, and I hope I will not be a burden as a guest who arrived without prior notice."
He paused for a moment, then added with a faint smile:
"Rather, I hope… to be a guest worthy of this generosity."
Silence.
Then—
shin burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! You're exaggerating too much, faiser. There's no need for all this formality, it's as if you're speaking before the council of elders. We're not that complicated!"
He then stepped closer and lightly patted his shoulder:
"Consider yourself at home… truly, there is no guest and stranger here. Whoever enters the Celestial Phoenix Sect… becomes a part of it, even if only for a day."
The uncle smiled as well, and added in a deeper tone that carried genuine warmth:
"He's right, faiser. The doors of this sect do not open easily… but when they do, they do not open with half a welcome. You are welcome here… not as a stranger, but as someone who has earned the trust of this place."
On the other side—
Shirin breathed slowly.
She felt the tension begin to ease.
Then she stepped forward slightly, bowed a little, and said in a steadier voice this time, though it still carried traces of gratitude:
"Once again… thank you, faiser. Not only because you saved my life, but because you… did not hesitate to stand in a situation that was not yours. And that is something… I will not forget easily."
faiser smiled.
A calm smile.
Then said in a light tone:
"Your Highness… if time were to return me to that moment, I don't think I would do anything differently. Not because I am brave… but because the opportunity… came, and I simply responded to it."
Then he added, in a slightly joking tone:
"And in the end, it seems my luck was good enough to walk out of that situation alive… and honored within a sect like this. I cannot complain about that."
They laughed.
All of them.
A light laugh.
Warm.
But—
Inside…
There was something else.
faiser's face…
Calmed.
That smile faded.
And in its place came a cold look.
Empty.
"A simple… act… but enough."
"Now… the path is open."
"And they… are at ease."
"Good."
"Easy."
And in the next moment—
The uncle said:
"Well then… enough talking at the gate. Please, come inside. It does not suit our guest to remain standing all this time."
They moved.
They entered.
The hall was wide, carefully arranged, a table in the middle, and the atmosphere of the place carried a sense of order… and discipline.
They sat.
A short silence settled.
But this time…
It was not tense.
Until shin broke it, as he looked at his uncle:
"Uncle… I noticed something since we entered. Where are the first and second generation disciples? I only saw the third generation training in the courtyard."
The uncle sighed slowly, as if he had expected this question:
"Yes… because they are not here. They have been sent to the Horizon Mountains. A special training that will last for an undefined period. Their return… depends on their results, not on time."
"Horizon Mountains…"
shin repeated calmly.
"So… it's serious."
faiser interrupted them calmly:
"If my question is not an inconvenience…"
The uncle looked at him:
"Go ahead."
faiser said, with a faint smile:
"Does the sect have a library?"
The uncle paused for a moment.
Then said:
"Yes… we have a large library. It contains most of what a disciple might need… and more."
faiser nodded, then said in a natural tone:
"Would it be possible… after this feast, for me to visit it?"
He paused.
Then added, as if explaining:
"I am someone… who leans toward knowledge, and being in a place like this without trying to understand it… would be a real waste."
The uncle laughed:
"Hahaha! A very simple request. In fact, I'm glad to hear that. Not everyone who comes cares about knowledge. Most of them only care about power. But you… you seem different."
Inside—
"Of course…"
"Knowledge… is the first step to control."
"And the library… is the beginning."
shin noticed his expression, and said with a smile:
"It seems you're truly serious. Your expression alone is enough to convince anyone that you live for knowledge."
faiser let out a light sigh:
"Perhaps… or perhaps I am just searching for something… I have not found yet."
The uncle laughed:
"That's fine. You won't be the first to get lost in books here."
Then he looked at Shirin…
And smiled.
Her face immediately turned red.
"Uncle…!"
They laughed.
A light moment.
Then—
faiser suddenly said:
"Prince shin… if the question is not personal… which generation are you from?"
shin paused.
Then said:
"Me? The third generation."
faiser nodded:
"Hm… I thought so. Your appearance… is still somewhat young."
shin froze.
"Young?!"
"I'm sixteen!"
They burst out laughing.
Shirin.
The uncle.
Even faiser…
laughed.
But—
Inside…
"Sixteen…"
"Young."
"But… useful."
The laughter faded.
And a short silence settled.
And in that silence—
faiser's eyes…
Had changed.
He was no longer looking at them.
But—
Through them.
"A sect… a system… ranks… training…"
"A library… information…"
"A perfect… beginning."
He smiled.
But this time…
It was not a visible smile.
"And the first step…"
"Will be there."
He raised his gaze slightly.
Toward the outside.
Toward a place he had not seen yet.
But—
He knew.
"The library."
He stopped at it.
Not as a destination…
But as a beginning.
"The entry is complete."
"Doubt… exists, yes. But acceptance has been achieved."
He lowered his gaze calmly.
His expression did not change.
But inside—
Something was moving.
Calmly.
Precisely.
"I succeeded without notable resistance."
His eyes passed over shin.
Then Shirin.
Then the uncle.
A silent analysis.
"Conditional trust… natural caution… and enough space."
He paused.
Then—
"Good."
At that moment, shin said as he straightened in his seat, in a light tone that carried clear interest:
"After we finish this feast, I'll have one of the disciples guide you to the library himself. The place is large… and it won't be easy to navigate without prior knowledge, especially for someone visiting it for the first time."
faiser raised his gaze to him.
Then nodded calmly:
"That will help me greatly… thank you."
Then he added in a calm tone:
"I just want… to understand where I am."
shin looked at him for a moment, as if he caught something in that sentence, then said with a faint smile:
"You will understand… but not everything at once. This place… takes time. Besides, your seed is still dormant, so you need to learn cultivation techniques and fill your vessel. And that is the most important step."
The uncle intervened calmly:
"What shin said is correct. And the deeper you go… the more you realize that what you don't know… is greater than you think."
Silence.
Then—
faiser smiled.
"My seed is dormant? And filling my vessel? What does he mean by that? But it seems… it is something essential in this world… hm, more importantly… this is reason enough to begin."
The calm returned.
The conversations continued.
But inside—
He had already decided.
"I will not be just a passerby here."
"Nor just a guest."
He paused.
Then—
"This place…"
A light glance toward the hall.
Toward the people.
Toward everything.
"May be… the beginning."
Not with the intent of destruction.
Nor chaos.
But—
Something else.
Calmer.
Deeper.
"To understand… then decide."
He raised his hand slightly, as if sharing the moment with the others.
A faint smile on his face.
But in his eyes—
There was a new clarity.
"One step… is enough for now."
And in that moment…
In the middle of the hall…
Amid ordinary voices and light laughter…
Something unseen had begun.
Not a conflict.
Nor danger.
But—
A path.
A quiet path…
For someone who entered this place as a stranger…
But time alone…
Would decide how he would leave it… or how he would come to control it.