[Scene Loading...]


    [Location: Leoncrest Estate - Dining Hall]


    [Date: May 5, y. 486 of the Fourth Age]


    Zeke staggered into the dining hall just in time for dinner, his legs feeling like lead after another brutal training session. Victoria had pushed him extra hard today, three full circuits around the castle walls while wearing the weighted training gear.


    His muscles burned with every step, but he couldn''t help feeling a rush of satisfaction. Each day brought him closer to being ready for the Mountain Run.


    The dining hall buzzed with the usual evening chatter, students clustered around tables discussing classes, gossip, and weekend plans. The smell of fresh bread and roasted meat filled the air, making Zeke''s stomach growl.


    He grabbed a heaping plate of food and found an empty spot near the window.


    He''d barely taken his first bite when Elise dropped into the seat across from him. Her hair was slightly disheveled, and she looked as tired as he felt.


    "Elise!" He glanced at the clock mounted above the entrance. It was well past 6:00, dinner service almost over. "What are you doing here so late? Not that I''m not happy to see you, but,"


    "I got held up with my personal instructor," Elise sighed, dropping her satchel beneath the table. "She''s starting on my end-of-year assessments. Assuming I can pass them, I won''t have to deal with her come next year, so... let''s hope."


    "If there''s anything I can do, just let me know," Zeke offered between bites. He''d learned early on that food disappeared quick in the dining hall, especially when he was this hungry. "You''re not looking at failing your classes, are you?"


    "No, no!" Elise waved her hand dismissively while filling her plate from a passing serving tray. "Unless I really blow the last few weeks of the Spring semester, I''m not looking at expulsion or anything. The assessment I''m doing right now essentially looks at how well I''ve ''integrated'' into the community of the Academy."


    She took a large bite of bread before continuing. "If my instructor determines that I''ve done a good enough job, then I''m free to mingle at my own pleasure come next year. Honestly, I don''t think it would be a problem, except for the stuff I''ve been doing with the cooking class."


    Zeke frowned, finishing off his first helping of potatoes. "What''s the big problem with the cooking class? I thought everyone loved those herb-roasted vegetables you made last week."


    "There is some concern that I am..." Elise paused, putting on a pompous voice. "How did she phrase it? I am ''exerting an influence on the Academy that is not in accordance with the values of the hierarchy of the Kingdom of Athia.''"


    "Oh, come on," Zeke snorted, shaking his head. "You''re doing nothing of the sort."


    "Yeah, but I have nobles actually enjoying the process of cooking," Elise held up a hand to her mouth in mock horror. "Imagine the scandal! The next thing you know, they''ll be cleaning their own rooms, and then the servants will all be fired, and before long, all the nobles will abandon their principles and just become commoners themselves, ensuring a total and complete collapse of the nation."


    Zeke laughed, almost choking on his drink. "The horror! Nobles learning basic life skills!"


    "As if being a commoner is that bad anyway," Elise muttered, stabbing at her food. "If you''re worried they might enjoy being a commoner more than a noble, perhaps you should rethink how your noble system works."


    Zeke laughed again and was about to respond when he noticed someone approaching their table. His smile faded as he turned to see who it was.


    Jack De''Minziar, Diocletian''s cousin and suspected cult member, swept up to their table with an easy smile. He gave them a slight bow, his expensive silk robes rustling softly.


    "Hey, guys," Jack''s voice was overly sweet, like honey masking something bitter. "I was just checking in on you. You two both seemed so fond of the board game club back at the beginning of the year, but I haven''t seen anything of you for the last... well, it''s been a while."


    Zeke tensed but kept his expression neutral. The board game club had been one of his first activities at Leoncrest, before he''d learned about the cult operating within the Academy walls.


    Before he''d seen Jack participating in that midnight ritual in the Dark Forest.


    "Sorry," Zeke replied easily, offering an apologetic smile. "I''ve been training for the next Trial. My trainers have me running myself ragged, I haven''t been able to catch a break."


    Jack turned to Elise, who shrugged and wiped her mouth with a napkin.


    "I enjoyed it, but if I''m being honest, I came with Zeke."


    "Well, it doesn''t look like you''re doing anything now," Jack gestured toward the door, his smile never reaching his eyes. "Want to come along? We''d love to have you."


    Zeke noticed the way Jack''s gaze lingered on him just a bit too long. Was this a trap? Probably.


    But declining might seem suspicious too.


    "I''m sorry, but I just got back from three laps around the castle walls," Zeke sighed, rolling his shoulders for effect. "I''m bushed. I just need to get to bed."


    Jack shrugged, his disappointment seeming genuine. "Well, suit yourself. Just know that we miss you, and we''d love to see you again. If you decide to come tonight after all, just show up."


    With that, he turned and walked off. As soon as he was out of earshot, Zeke let out a long breath and leaned back in his chair. Before he could speak, Elise leaned forward, eyes intense.


    "You should have taken him up on it!" she whispered fiercely.


    "I should have what?" Zeke blinked. "He''s only inviting us because he..." He lowered his voice to barely above a whisper. "Because he wants to kill us! Or interrogate us or something."


    "Precisely," Elise nodded, a gleam in her eye. "So what better way to spy on him?"


    "I can think of dozens of better ways," Zeke crossed his arms. "Like not walking straight into a trap? It''s a terrible idea."


    "I think you''re just scared," Elise challenged, raising an eyebrow.


    "I''m exhausted! That part was true!" Zeke protested, though he had to admit, his curiosity was piqued. What were they up to in that club these days?


    "All I''m saying is that it''s not often that your mortal enemy invites you to come and take part in a friendly competition where you can pretty easily spy on him," Elise shrugged, gathering the last bits of food on her plate. "Doesn''t seem to me like it would be something you''d want to turn down."


    Zeke groaned, running a hand through his hair. The reasonable part of his brain told him to go straight back to his room and get some rest before tomorrow''s training.


    But another part, the part that had gotten him into and out of trouble his whole life, whispered that this was too good an opportunity to pass up.


    "Fine," he said finally, pushing his plate away.


    "Fine, what?" Elise blinked, suddenly all innocence.


    "You win. Let''s go," Zeke stood up, stretching his tired muscles.


    She flashed him a triumphant smile. "I win? But in what? This is entirely your decision, not mine."


    "Oh, cut it out," Zeke scowled, though there wasn''t much heat behind it. "You''re just covering yourself for when he tries to kill us or something."


    "Is it working?" she asked brightly.


    "No," Zeke started walking toward the exit. "Now come on!"


    Elise laughed and followed him, both of them quickly making their way through the Academy''s winding halls. The evening light streamed through high windows, casting long shadows across the polished floors.


    As they climbed the stairs to Tower 10, Zeke felt his stomach tighten. Jack, along with whoever else in the club happened to be part of the cult, would be watching him like a hawk.


    He needed to be on guard, observant of every interaction, every glance.


    "Remember," he whispered to Elise as they approached the club room, "we''re just here because we changed our minds about a fun night of board games."


    "Obviously," Elise replied. "I''m not an amateur, you know."


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    When they entered the room, Jack looked up from a game he was monitoring, and for a split second, Zeke caught a flash of something, surprise? concern?, cross the boy''s face.


    It vanished instantly, replaced by a welcoming smile as he strode forward.


    "Zeke! Elise! You guys made it after all!" Jack clasped Zeke''s hand, shaking it firmly. "Pick your poison. A bunch of our upper-levels are doing assessments and things, which has us low on players tonight."


    The large circular room was indeed less crowded than Zeke remembered from his previous visits. About a dozen students were scattered around tables, engrossed in various games.


    Some Zeke recognized, others he didn''t. He noted which students sat together, trying to spot any obvious cult members among them.


    "What about some of those mid-weight games?" Zeke asked, scanning the room. "I haven''t tried any of those yet."


    "Sounds great to me! We''ve got about twenty of them," Jack led them to a small shelf of elaborately carved wooden boxes. "There are some that are two-player, and some that need more. They''re all themed in one way or another, and the gameplay mechanics match the theme. There''s a craftsman in the Capital that''s been making these things for decades, and now his son is producing them as well. Anyway, dive in! I can explain the rules to any of them once you''ve decided."


    Zeke examined the titles, running his fingers along the intricate carvings on each box. There were games about city building, delivering messages, growing forests (and chopping them down), farming, bees, managing a noble house,


    "Zeke!" Elise squealed suddenly, snatching one off the shelf. "Look at this!"


    She held up a wooden box with "Berry Patch" carved into the lid, accompanied by an engraving of someone picking berries with a bear in the background. Zeke couldn''t help smiling at her enthusiasm, and the perfect reminder of their adventure in the woods.


    "This is a fun one," Jack nodded, motioning for them to sit at an empty table. "Pretty simple compared to some of his games, but it was one of the first ones that he released. Basically..."


    He opened the box, revealing a beautifully crafted hexagonal board and several small wooden pieces. "You have this hexagonal board covered in little tiles. The tiles are shuffled and put face down, and then each player takes a pawn and takes turns moving through the berry patch. You harvest berries by flipping over the tiles, then taking the corresponding number of berries from the supply."


    Jack continued explaining as he set up the board. "Most of the tiles have berries, some have things like birds or bunnies, and one has a bear. When the bear comes out, whoever found it loses half their berries, all tiles are reshuffled, and gameplay continues."


    "Perfect," Elise said, already choosing a pawn, a small wooden figure painted to look like a girl with a basket.


    Zeke selected his own pawn, a boy with a satchel, and they began to play. The game was indeed simple enough that he could divide his attention between playing and watching Jack''s interactions around the room.


    「?????????? ???????? ??????????????」


    【Game: Berry Patch】


    【Players: Zeke, Elise】


    【Objective: Gather the most berries】


    【Hidden Objective: Monitor cult activity】


    Jack seemed to be a social butterfly, bouncing from table to table. He''d stop and chat with players for a few minutes, offer advice or commentary on their games, then move on to the next group.


    Zeke noticed, however, that Jack visited their table far less frequently than others.


    Instead, Jack spent most of his time with a few students who looked particularly shifty, a tall, thin boy with lank hair who kept glancing Zeke''s way, and two girls who spoke in hushed tones whenever Jack approached them.


    Zeke was willing to bet they were all part of the cult.


    "Your move," Elise prompted, interrupting his surveillance.


    Zeke moved his pawn and flipped a tile, revealing three berries. "Nice," he murmured, collecting the wooden berry tokens from the supply.


    As they continued playing, Elise leaned slightly closer. "Approaching from your left," she whispered, not looking up from the board. "Watch this one."


    A female student with short black hair and sharp eyes swept past their table, deliberately slow. Zeke felt her gaze on them, likely trying to eavesdrop on their conversation.


    He and Elise switched to casual chatter about classes and upcoming exams until she moved on.


    By the time the berry game neared its end, Zeke had mental notes on at least five students he suspected were cult members. Elise was winning handily, her pile of berry tokens nearly twice the size of his.


    "You''re suspiciously good at this," Zeke commented as she collected another four berries.


    "I grew up foraging," she replied with a grin. "This is just another day in the woods for me."


    Just as Elise was about to make her final move, Jack returned to their table and sat down. His previous friendliness had faded somewhat, replaced by a more calculated expression.


    "Do... do you mind if I ask you something, Zeke?"


    Zeke moved his pawn casually and collected three more berries. "Sure, what is it?" he replied, keeping his tone light.


    "What''s it like to have so much pressure on you?"


    The question caught Zeke off guard, but he maintained his neutral expression. "That''s an odd sort of question."


    "Sorry, sorry, I guess I phrased it badly," Jack backpedaled, adjusting his sleeve. "I don''t know, I just... I''m a noble, sure, but I''m not the heir, and even the heirs that I know aren''t under as much pressure as you. It has to be strange to have that much put on you. I only ask because you''ve been excelling at everything, and... I don''t know."


    He sighed, looking almost sincere. "I probably sound like I''m rambling."


    "Maybe a little," Zeke laughed, trying to put Jack at ease while staying alert. "I get it, though. No..." He paused thoughtfully. "It''s really hard, if I''m being honest. I mean, for the start of my time here, I spent every afternoon training on how to use my Aura, because I just never used it at all growing up. I''m still taking sparring lessons in the mornings because my swordplay isn''t where it needs to be, and I''m doing extra running now to get ready for the Mountain Run. It''s a lot, to have so many hopes and dreams resting upon you."


    Elise watched the exchange silently, her fingers idly stacking berry tokens.


    "Yeah, yeah," Jack nodded eagerly, leaning forward. "So... I guess here''s what I''m asking. And I know this is going to sound bad, but like... how do you do it?"


    "Lots of hard work. Elbow grease," Zeke answered with a small laugh. "Nothing fancy about it."


    "Yeah, but there''s more to it," Jack pressed, his voice dropping lower. "No one could have done the things that you have without a little help."


    "I''ve had lots of help," Zeke agreed easily. "Professor Gerald, and then,"


    "Stop," Jack held up a hand, his friendly fa?ade slipping. "You know what I''m saying."


    Zeke frowned, genuinely confused by Jack''s sudden intensity. He''d assumed the boy was probing for information about breaking into Professor Karl''s office, but this seemed different.


    "I honestly don''t have a clue what you''re saying," he replied, meeting Jack''s gaze steadily. "I''m not trying to be difficult, I just,"


    "Come on. Some of the professors I''m familiar with have detected odd Aura fluctuations around you," Jack said, dropping all pretenses. "Sorry to cut to the chase, but I know you have something. What did you manage to score, and where''d you get it? Is it something from the De''Godfrey Estate? Is that the secret of the De''Godfrey warriors? Do you have a pact with some dark patron or something?"


    Zeke''s eyes widened as understanding dawned. "Wait... you''re talking about..."


    He fell silent, mind racing. Someone must have detected the Aura Gems that he and Ingrid had retrieved from the old mine.


    Rather than suspecting theft, they assumed it was either some sort of Aura-enhancing drug, or a pact with one of the numerous dark entities always threatening the realm.


    Jack''s eyes narrowed dangerously. "And if that''s the case, did you break into Professor Karl''s office to try and steal more power?"


    So that was what they thought. They didn''t realize Zeke had witnessed their ritual; they only suspected he''d broken into the office searching for whatever power source they possessed.


    Which meant Professor Karl likely had something in his office connected to dark entities, something that granted power. The pieces were starting to click into place.


    Zeke kept his voice steady. "I didn''t break into Professor Karl''s office."


    "But you hired someone to do it," Jack snapped, leaning closer.


    "Hired isn''t the most accurate term," Zeke replied carefully. There was no use playing completely dumb now. "And they didn''t get anything of power."


    Jack''s jaw tightened. "You''ve got a lot of nerve, De''Godfrey."


    Something in Zeke suddenly rebelled against playing defense. He was tired of being pushed around, threatened, and cornered.


    Without fully planning it, he slowly stood up, pushing back his chair with deliberate force.


    Jack shrank back slightly, obviously not expecting this reaction.


    "So do you, daring to bring this before me," Zeke said, his voice low but firm. Several nearby tables fell silent, players watching the exchange with interest. "You''re right when you say that I have a lot going on. Let me make one thing perfectly clear, though. I haven''t done it with any substances, and I haven''t done it with any power-enhancing drugs or pacts or anything of the sort. What you see is what you get, and if you dare to threaten my family again, I will make sure that you pay for it."


    Jack had turned slightly pale. "I didn''t threaten your family."


    "No, but you threatened me, and I''m doing this for them," Zeke replied. After a moment, he relaxed his posture and sat back down. No sense creating a scene that would draw more attention than necessary. "But that, I believe, is business for another place. In this room, we only defeat each other in board games. Care to join us? We''re just about done with this one."


    Jack swallowed visibly, clearly thrown off balance. If Zeke''s guess was right, Jack was just a pawn, likely sent by Professor Karl to probe him for information.


    Now, not only had he learned nothing useful, but he''d been sent off in the wrong direction entirely.


    "I... should check on the other games," Jack muttered, rising from the table. "Let me know if you need anything else."


    He hurried away, stopping to whisper urgently to the tall, thin boy Zeke had noticed earlier. Both of them glanced back at Zeke before continuing their hushed conversation.


    "Well, that was interesting," Elise murmured, placing her final berry token on her pile. "I believe I''ve won, by the way."


    "Congratulations," Zeke replied absently, his mind still processing what had just happened. "I think we should wrap up soon. I don''t want to push our luck."


    "Agreed," Elise said, beginning to pack up the game. "Though I''d say your little display of backbone definitely caught them off guard."


    Zeke helped her return the pieces to the box, keeping one eye on Jack and his associates. They were definitely watching, though trying to be subtle about it.


    "Ready?" he asked once everything was cleaned up.


    Elise nodded, and they made their goodbyes to the room at large, thanking Jack for the invitation. As they walked toward the door, Zeke felt the weight of numerous stares on his back.


    He kept his shoulders squared and his pace unhurried, refusing to show any sign of nervousness.


    Only when they had descended the tower stairs and turned down an empty corridor did Zeke let out a long breath.


    "That was... tense," Elise said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.


    "But informative," Zeke replied, glancing back to ensure they weren''t being followed. "They think I have some sort of power enhancement, probably sensing the Aura Gems. And they don''t seem to know I was the one who saw their ritual."


    "Which means they don''t know exactly what we know," Elise concluded, nodding. "That''s useful."


    "Very," Zeke agreed. "And it sounds like Professor Karl has something in his office that gives power, maybe connected to whatever entity they were contacting in the forest that night."


    They walked in thoughtful silence for a moment, passing a group of students heading back to their dormitories before curfew. The Academy bells would be ringing soon.


    "We should tell Victoria and Ingrid about this," Elise suggested as they reached a junction where their paths would separate. "Ingrid especially, she might have ideas about what kinds of ''Aura fluctuations'' they could be detecting from the gems."


    "Good thinking. I''ll talk to them tomorrow," Zeke agreed. "For now, we should get back before curfew. And..." he hesitated, "maybe be extra careful for the next few days. Jack might have backed down, but I doubt they''ll let this drop completely."


    "I''ll keep my eyes open," Elise promised, then flashed him a grin. "This spying business is quite exciting, isn''t it?"


    [Scene Close]


    [Earned Emblems:] Heart of the Warrior, Endurance, Cunning, Golden Touch


    [Active Quests:]


    [Play the Part: Make sure that Jack doesn''t catch on to the truth]