He left the bed and stood before the mirror. A white robe laced with golden linen hung from his shoulders.
The thought of someone dressing him while he was unconscious made heat crawl up his neck.
He leaned closer to his reflection. Every wound had vanished. Even the tooth Cassie had knocked loose was back in place.
Perfect restoration.
Elera came to mind, but he pushed the worry down. She was probably fine.
The door creaked. A maiden stepped inside. Solved stiffened, watching her carefully.
"Forgive me," she said with a bow. "I thought you were still asleep."
"Me?" Solved pointed at himself. "Nah, no problem."
"I should fetch Master Roderick. He was worried about you." She turned toward the door.
"What about the girl I came with?" Solved asked quickly. "Is she safe?"
The maid froze, hand on the handle. "Master Roderick will answer your questions. I was ordered not to speak."
Her eyes flickered, but her lips stayed sealed.
[TRUTH SIGHT: EMOTION SCAN]
[TARGET: Maid]
[EMOTION: Guilt, Anxiety]
[INTENSITY: High]
"Orders not to speak? That's funny. The way you froze tells me you know something."
The maid stiffened, saying nothing.
Solved waved her off and stepped past. "Don't bother. I already got my answer."
---
Solved stepped into the hallway. The air was cooler here, scented faintly of polished wood and incense. He strolled down the corridor, admiring the architecture.
At the far end, Roderick appeared, tall in his deep green cloak, relief softening his stern features.
"You're awake," Roderick said, falling into step beside him.
"Against all odds," Solved muttered. "How did you even find me?"
"Nika," Roderick replied. "After her clash with Blackwood, she tracked you down—half-dead on the ground."
"And the girl? Elera."
"She's safe. Resting. Braver than most I've seen." Roderick studied him for a moment. "Though I'm not sure I can say the same about you."
Solved smirked, masking the dull ache gnawing at his body. "I don't break that easy."
"Were you able to contact her father?"
"Not yet. There are things that need to be discussed first." Roderick's gaze lingered on him.
Solved's tone sharpened. "She's a person, not an asset."
"I know that," Roderick said evenly. "Just as you, Mr. Solved, are something of a mystery yourself."
"I get that a lot." Solved rolled his shoulder.
"You went a long way for someone who doesn't even know you."
"Don't need a reason to save a life."
Why am I following him? Solved's jaw tightened. He patched me up, sure, but that doesn't buy trust. Not here. Not now.
Haven't still figure how he knows Tokyo.
Might be another knife in the back, Solved thought, but said nothing. The ache under his ribs reminded him he wasn't ready for another fight—not yet.
"Hmph. That's a rare mindset in this place." Roderick stopped before a large oaken door.
From beyond it came the low murmur of many voices. "Inside. A gathering awaits."
The chamber quieted the moment Solved stepped in. Murmurs died like a flame smothered by wind. A hundred eyes pressed against him, weighing, measuring.
He folded his arms and muttered under his breath:
"Just what I needed—an audience."
Velvet, jewels, and perfumes filled the room—not people, but walking trophies, each one desperate to look heavier than the crown itself.
A noblewoman stepped forward and clapped her hands twice, the sound sharp and elegant.
"Let us begin."
One by one, the nobles lowered into their seats.
Solved glanced around, realizing at last—this wasn't a ballroom. The chamber curved into a perfect circle, a round table enclosing him like a cage.
Roderick guided him to the center of the curved table. The nobles sat in half-shadow, their silks rustling as they shifted.
Roderick remained at his side, silent but steady.
"You dragged me here dressed in a robe?" Solved muttered, tilting his head at Roderick.
Roderick didn't flinch. "It will be quick."
A noblewoman leaned forward, her jeweled fingers drumming softly on the table.
"It is curious," she said, voice measured, "how the plasma vessel was located only after your... intervention."
Another man hummed in agreement. "Curious indeed. To stumble upon such a secret as if guided. Almost as though one wished to keep her hidden a little longer."
The words weren't daggers, but the way the nobles' eyes shifted to Solved made them feel like it.
Solved smirked faintly. "You're welcome. Next time, I'll let her rot and save you the trouble of twisting gratitude into suspicion."
A grey-bearded noble adjusted his cuffs, his tone mild. "No one here doubts your... gallantry, detective. But one detail does puzzle us."
Another leaned in, smiling faintly. "The girl—Elera. She seemed unfamiliar with you. So, if not kin nor guardian, what exactly is your relationship with her or her father?"
Solved tilted his head, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Nothing scandalous, if that's where your velvet words are headed. Just a friend of her father. And someone who didn't stand by."
His gaze hardened. "And how did you conclude she's the Plasma Vessel?"
A noble waved his hand, brushing the question aside. "Because we can sense it... even if you can't."
Solved's jaw tightened. "When does she go back to her normal life?"
"I'm afraid that old life is over for her," another noble said flatly, his rings clinking against the arm of his chair.
"She sees her father tomorrow. No matter what," Solved said.
A laugh rose from the far end of the table.
"Ah, and who do you think you are to demand anything?"
[Truth Sight: Nobles — mixed fear, suspicion, concealed hostility detected.]
Solved's lips curved slightly.
"Maybe you tell me," he said, tilting his head. "Why you're hiding your fear of me."
The room went silent—too silent. A ripple of unease moved between them.
"I can see it," he said, stepping forward just enough for the light to catch his eyes. "You see what's in me. Don't you?"
A woman's voice broke the silence. Calm, but sharp. "We aren't here to fight you. We actually have an offer."
Solved turned to her. "What kind of offer?"
"We want you as one of us."
His smirk was dry, humorless. "And why? Don't tell me it's out of kindness."
"No," she admitted. "Because we need someone to watch her. Someone she trusts—or at least, tolerates."
"Or," Solved said slowly, "you just want to monopolize her power."
Her lips curled. "Of course. We can't have a girl on the street creating mages out of everyone."
Solved's voice cooled. "What are your conditions?"
"She stays in the palace. At all times. And you follow our rules."
"I refuse."
"You can't—" one of them started.
"I'm not done." Solved's words cut through the chamber like steel. "I refuse to lock her away and rob her of a childhood just because she was unlucky enough to be born with destiny. She gets her freedom. Your guards can trail her if it makes you sleep better. But I'll be with her.".
Murmurs rippled through the chamber. A woman's voice cut through, calm but edged:
"Very well. But it will be under our rules."
Solved tilted his head, half a smirk playing at his lips. "Figures. You people can't breathe without rules."
The smirk faltered. The words around him blurred, vowels dragging like echoes in water. His chest tightened. The air was suddenly heavy.
What the hell—
A low hum buzzed in his ears, like bees trapped in his skull. His vision trembled, nobles' faces warping into smudges of shadow. His knees threatened to buckle, though he hadn't moved.
"They're in my head," he hissed under his breath.
From behind—the whisper of breath, the faintest shift of air. A hand, cool and deliberate, reaching for him.
His instincts flared white-hot. Solved spun, fingers clamping around the wrist.
And the world snapped—
The chamber collapsed into black, swallowing sound, swallowing breath.
"...Not again—"
Darkness consumed him.