Following Elysia's silent lead, the group stepped out of her private wing and into corridors that felt less like residential walkways and more like the hallowed arteries of an ancient cathedral dedicated to power.
The air itself was different here. Scrubbed clean of the Sump's perpetual, recycled grime, it was imbued with a palpable thrum of concentrated Aether. It was so dense, so pure, that it felt nutritious just to breathe. It made the polished marble beneath their feet feel alive, humming with a low, resonant energy that vibrated straight up their spines.
As they walked, Orion and Lyra's eyes—long accustomed to scanning shadowed alleys for sudden movement—now took in a different kind of threat, a different expression of power. Intricate silver symbols were inlaid into the walls at regular intervals, patterns that glittered with a soft, internal light.
They weren't mere decorations; the siblings could feel it instinctually. Each symbol was an Aetheric nexus, a focal point that radiated a profound and ancient energy, weaving together to form a complex, invisible web of protection and surveillance throughout the manor.
The symbols seemed to watch them, their light pulsing slightly as the two unregistered, overwhelmingly potent Aether signatures passed by.
It didn't stop at the architecture. Maids in immaculate uniforms and butlers with ramrod-straight posture moved with a silent, ghostly efficiency.
To a casual observer, they were simple servants. To Orion and Lyra, they were dormant volcanoes.
The siblings could sense the Aether Cores humming steadily within each of them. These were not the chaotic, sputtering cores of Sump thugs; these were deep reservoirs of controlled, disciplined power.
The sheer ambient pressure radiating from a single passing butler—who didn't even grant them a glance—could likely suppress a dozen of the Sump's toughest gang leaders without breaking a sweat.
It was a stark, brutal testament to the chasm between their old world and this one—a world where even the hired help possessed strength that could make them kings in the gutter.
Lisanna, noticing the siblings' sweeping, intensely analytical gazes, let out a light giggle that echoed in the grand hallway.
"See something you like?" she chirped, her emerald eyes dancing with amusement. "Looks like even our big, bad leaders can feel a little awe. It's okay to be impressed, you know."
Elysia's lips twitched, the corner of her mouth curling into a faint, proud smirk.
"It's only natural," she remarked, her tone carrying the innate weight of generations of nobility. "When all you've known is scrap and recycled filth, a glimpse of true, ordered power must be overwhelming."
Lyra merely raised an unimpressed brow, a soft snort of derision escaping her. "Slow your roll, princesses. We're not awestruck, just... interested. It's an eye-opener to see that your average floor-scrubber has more juice than most of the self-proclaimed gangsters back home."
"It certainly puts the disparity into perspective," Orion added, his voice a calm, smooth counterpoint to his sister's sharpness. He nodded thoughtfully. "An educational look into the inner workings of a truly powerful household."
"Oh, this is just the tip of the iceberg!" Lisanna said, her smile widening as she skipped a step. "Wait until you see the training facility. It'll really blow you away."
Orion flicked a curious glance at her. "You seem to know your way around this fortress. Just how familiar are you with everything here? I don't doubt your family is any less influential than Elysia's."
Lisanna playfully tapped a finger to her chin, shooting a smug look at her best friend. "Ellie here practically begs me to visit. Been that way ever since we were kids. Without me to brighten the place up, her temper would be even worse."
"Hah!" Elysia scoffed, turning to retort. "Without me, your parents would need a straitjacket to keep you from painting the city walls with hard-light graffiti. And don't even get me started on your 'brazen' political ideas."
Orion let out a low, warm chuckle. "I can feel your pain on that one. But," his gaze softened as it met Elysia's, cutting through her armor, "it feels right to take care of them, doesn't it? Even when they're a hurricane."
Elysia was caught completely off guard. She briefly turned, her icy blue eyes locking with Orion's warm, knowing gaze. For a split second, a tremor ran through her heart—a strange, unfamiliar warmth that had nothing to do with embarrassment and everything to do with being seen.
She held his gaze for a moment longer than propriety dictated before her pride kicked in, and she whipped her head forward, the faintest of blushes painting her cheeks.
"Perhaps," she sniffed, desperately maintaining her haughty demeanor. "But I'd much rather deal with Lisa's chaos than… that one's." She jerked her head disdainfully towards Lyra, who simply let out a loud, theatrical yawn, annoying Elysia even further.
Orion turned his smile to Lisanna, his eyes locking with hers. "I don't doubt that a day with you would always be filled with wonder, Lisanna. It makes me look forward to our future even more."
A faint blush colored Lisanna's cheeks. She giggled and gave his shoulder a light, playful slap. "Nice words there, charmer. I'll give that line a slightly higher rating than before. Keep trying."
"I'll make sure to get a perfect score next time," Orion chuckled back.
As Lisanna's bright laughter filled the hall, Elysia glanced back at their easy exchange.
A strange, disorienting thought surfaced—she wasn't annoyed. She wasn't jealous. Seeing Orion flirt so openly with her best friend should have ignited some possessive spark, or at the very least, some aristocratic indignation at his forwardness.
Instead, it just felt... natural. Correct. As if this was simply how things were supposed to be.
She sighed, a quiet "idiot" escaping her lips, but the iron-like tension that always lived in her shoulders relaxed even more.
"Who knew this annoying parrot could actually have some luck with ladies," Lyra muttered just loud enough for Orion to hear, rolling her eyes.
Soon enough, their walk concluded before a massive, circular door. It was forged from the same Aether-infused alloy as the walls, but this was far more intricate, its surface covered in exotic, swirling patterns that resembled ancient glacial glyphs.
With a gleeful glint in her eyes, Lisanna watched as Elysia raised her right hand. An intricate lattice of shimmering blue ice, identical to the patterns on the door, instantly formed over the back of her hand and fingers like a crystalline glove. She pressed her palm flat against the door's center.
For a moment, there was absolute silence. Then, the glyphs on the door and the ice on her hand pulsed as one, exploding in a brilliant, cerulean light.
A deep, resonant hum, like the sound of a glacier shifting, filled the air. The massive door rumbled, its intricate sections not sliding aside, but retracting perfectly into the surrounding wall like the aperture of a colossal camera.
"We're here!" Lisanna exclaimed, bouncing on the balls of her feet before darting inside.
Elysia went in next. Orion and Lyra followed, their casual demeanor the only thing unchanged as they stepped into a space that defied easy description.
It was an expansive, metallic cavern, easily the size of a small city warehouse. The walls were lined with the same unique, glowing carvings as the hallway, but here they pulsed with a raw, untamed, primal energy. The very air was thick with it, a heavy, charged atmosphere of pure Aether that made one's hair stand on end, the pressure almost physical. Banks of holographic displays and complex control panels lined one wall, humming quietly, currently dormant.
"Welcome to the Glacier Facility," Elysia announced, a note of undeniable, deep-seated pride in her voice. She swept a hand through the air. "The walls are built with a proprietary Aether-dampening alloy, strong enough to withstand the full, sustained assault of a peak C-Rank Hero. The core of this facility also generates a total containment field, ensuring no Aether signatures, no matter how powerful, leak out. No one will know what happens in here."
"Not bad for a pair of princesses, eh?" Lisanna added with a smug grin.
Lyra raised a brow, thoroughly unimpressed by the theatrics. "Alright, let's not waste time," she stated bluntly. "Elysia, let's get this show on the—"
"Before we begin," Orion interrupted smoothly, his gaze fixed on Elysia, "is there a way to get a baseline? To test the foundation of our Aether Cores and know exactly what we're working with."
Elysia paused, considering his strategic request, then gave a curt nod. "There is."
As if summoned by her words, a side door slid open with a soft hiss. Chloe entered, pushing a cart laden with heavy, silver-domed platters. The moment she lifted the first lid, the air filled with the rich, mouth-watering aroma of roasted meats, savory exotic spices, and freshly baked bread.
The sight made Lyra's eyes glitter with undisguised, predatory hunger. Even Orion, Elysia, and Lisanna couldn't help but feel their appetites stir sharply.
"Finally," Lyra declared. "Gotta get my fill before getting down to business."
"I skipped lunch for this," Lisanna said, licking her lips. "My appetite is huge today!"
Elysia nodded. "This is a special occasion."
Just as the two noble girls were about to approach the cart with their accustomed grace, they stopped. They heard the distinct, savage sound of meat being torn from a bone. They looked over to see Orion and Lyra already digging in, casually leaning against a console as they devoured their food. They were in their own world, eating with a focused, rapid efficiency that betrayed a life where you ate when you could, and as much as you could, because you never knew when the next meal would come.
Noticing Elysia's annoyed frown and Lisanna's wry, amused smile, Lyra paused mid-chew and offered a mocking grin. "What? Were you expecting us to wait for table manners and tiny forks? Don't bother. Neither of us has any intention of ever attending your borish dinner parties."
"Food is much better enjoyed with good talk and beautiful company," Orion added, gesturing with a chicken leg toward the cart. "Come, join us."
Lisanna shrugged and skipped over with a giggle. "Don't mind if I do!"
Elysia let out a long, resigned sigh and followed. The four of them stood around the cart. Lisanna ate with some semblance of grace but was clearly influenced by the siblings' casual approach. Elysia, in a surreal display of contrast, meticulously maintained her practiced, perfect etiquette even while standing and eating directly from the platter.
The mounds of food were practically vaporized in minutes.
"That," Lyra sighed contentedly, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, "was a damn good meal. Now, it's time." She straightened up instantly, all traces of languor gone, and strode deeper into the facility.
"No time like the present," Orion agreed. He gave Chloe, who stood patiently by, a warm nod. "Thank you for the meal."
"Yeah, thanks," Lyra added, waving a hand over her shoulder without looking back.
Chloe blinked. Her placid, professional expression remained unchanged, but her eyes held a flicker of genuine surprise. She gave a slight, almost imperceptible nod. "My pleasure."
"See? Our little leaders have some manners after all," Lisanna laughed.
Elysia just sighed and walked over to the main control panel. "Chloe, just ignore them. You may go."
As Chloe began to gather the dirty dishes, Elysia's fingers flew across a holographic screen, inputting commands.
"Stand on that tile," she instructed the siblings, pointing to a single, circular plate embedded in the center of the floor.
As if sensing them, it began to glow with a soft, analytical white light.