"A single misplaced piece on the board changes not only its own position but the weight of all the others. Yesterday's ally becomes today's threat, and yesterday's victim, the key to victory. Such are the rules of a game where there are no winners or losers—only those still left on the board."
The sun had not yet touched the spires of the Academy, but my new plan was already in place. The previous night had erased one variable from the equation—my physical vulnerability—but had introduced another, far more chaotic one: human gratitude and its consequences. The miracle I had shown Catherine was a necessary measure, but now it had become a focal point around which the orbits of other pieces were beginning to shift. The first task for today: return a key piece to the board—Nova Cross. Without her, the entire configuration lost its meaning.
I rose from the bed to dress, but my uniform was not there. I had to make do with a plain white robe and slippers.
Before leaving the ward, I looked at myself in the mirror. Complete disharmony: matted hair, a tired, pained face, impersonal clothing. This appearance violated my mask; it inspired neither respect nor fear, only pity, the most inefficient of human emotions. The image of the "perfect student," my social armor, was cracked, and this required immediate correction. I braided my long hair and secured it with a medical tourniquet—the only suitable tool available at the moment.
Having finished my preparations, I was about to open the ward door, but it was locked from the outside. I did not have to wait long, however; Catherine soon arrived with a clean academic uniform. After thanking her for her help and changing, I decided not to waste any time. We walked quickly toward the infirmary exit, but we were met at the door by the physician—Madam Eiris.
"Artalis Feda Nox," her voice brooked no argument. "Return to your ward immediately. I must conduct an examination and record your current condition. It is protocol."
"I'm better already," I waved her off.
"That is not for you to decide," she cut in. "Go back. Miss Holu," she shifted her gaze to Catherine, "please wait outside. An examination is a confidential matter."
Catherine gave me an anxious look but nodded and obediently stepped into the corridor. The door closed behind her, cutting me off from my only ally. The doctor pointed to examination couch.
"Remove the top part of your uniform. I must inspect the wound."
Without hesitation, I unbuttoned my tunic and removed it along with the shirt, remaining bare to the waist. The doctor, having put on thin leather gloves, came closer. She expected to see layers of blood-soaked bandages but saw only smooth, clean skin. Where there had been a gaping hole from the spear of light yesterday, there was not a single scar or scratch.
The doctor's hands froze in mid-air. Her professional composure cracked. She stared, unblinking, her pupils dilated with shock.
"Where… where is the wound?" she whispered, her voice trembling.
"A goddess of fertility healed me," I replied calmly, not formally violating any prohibitions. Chaotic Light, having introduced herself to me in this way, had given me free rein to use her pseudonym almost anywhere.
The doctor recoiled as if struck. She looked at me as if I were mad, then back at my chest. She took a step forward and cautiously, almost fearfully, touched the skin where the wound should have been with her fingertips. Her fingers trembled.
"Impossible…" she breathed out, stepping back. "Is this… some kind of illusion? A goddess of fertility… I've never heard of such a thing…"
Madam Eiris froze, a thousand thoughts seemingly racing through her mind, her hand still trembling. Suddenly, she spun around, went to the desk, and, grabbing a quill, began to write quickly in a journal, her hand moving erratically. Then she slammed it shut.
"Get dressed," she said tonelessly, not looking at me. "Go—wherever it is you need to go." She waved a hand toward the door. "I… I will write a detailed report to the rector. Let her deal with… this."
I dressed and, after signing the journal she held out to me, walked into the corridor. Catherine immediately rushed to my side.
"Arta, are you alright?" She fell silent upon seeing my perfectly calm face and the bewildered, almost frightened figure of Madam Eiris watching us from the ajar door of the ward.
"Apparently," I replied ironically, "this whole 'goddess of fertility' story is rather shocking to people."
Catherine said nothing, her gaze fixed on me. She probably wanted to say something, but the question of the goddess seemed to be stuck in her throat.
We left the infirmary and headed toward the academy, back to the prestigious dormitory building to find Nova Cross. Reaching Nova's room, I knocked—once, clear and measured. A few moments later, there was a sleepy rustle from behind the door, and it was opened by Nova's roommate, Beatrice Lenford. A plump girl of medium height, her hair was disheveled, but the gaze of her green eyes was surprisingly clear and appraising.
"Good morning," I said politely. "We need to speak with Nova urgently."
Beatrice did not answer immediately. She held my gaze for a moment, then shifted it to Catherine. Her silence held not sleepiness, but caution.
"Nova isn't here," she finally said, her voice even, without excess emotion. "She left last night. To Ren's." She pronounced the name "Ren" without judgment, but with a certain internal emphasis, as if it were a password.
I noted an interesting detail: she did not call Ren a "friend"; she simply stated a fact, as if it were the only possible destination for Nova. The information was received. I nodded, about to turn away, when Catherine intervened.
"Excuse me, could you tell us her room number?"
A faint, almost conspiratorial smile appeared on Beatrice's lips.
"Room 332," she said, lowering her voice slightly. "You'll find what you're looking for there."
With those words, Beatrice slowly and silently closed the door, and we headed for the stairs. Climbing to the next floor, we found ourselves on the third floor of the dormitory, where we quickly located room number 332. But before we could knock, Isolde Veyne emerged from it, silent as a shadow. She was alone, without her usual retinue. Seeing us, she stopped, and her lips twisted into a slow, venomous smirk.
"Well, well, what guests," her voice was quiet, but laced with undisguised sarcasm. "Decided to visit that red-headed problem?" She shifted her gaze to Catherine, and her eyes held nothing but cold contempt. "I heard you're brave now. It must be easy to be brave when an expensive magical toy does everything for you."
Catherine froze, her face becoming a mask. She did not respond to the provocation, only her shoulders straightened almost imperceptibly.
"We need to see Ren," she said in a level voice.
Isolde snorted.
"Of course, Ren. To comfort her. Your precious Nova made such a disgrace of herself yesterday…" she stepped closer, her whisper full of schadenfreude. "The whole Academy is buzzing. To lose a duel to some first-year… Or rather, not even to lose, but simply to be unable to win. What a blow to the reputation of the Cross lineage. She's probably hiding in shame now."
I noted her tactic: by deliberately depersonalizing me—denying me a name—she sought to diminish my status and render Nova's defeat all the more humiliating. It was a cold and precise calculation.
"If you're finished, Isolde, we'll go in," Catherine said, a note of steel in her voice. She took a step forward, not yielding.
Isolde, realizing her venom had missed its mark, faltered for a moment. Anger twisted her features, but she only hissed, "Go ahead. That redhead is in there crying over her precious Nova, who's finally being thrown out of the Academy." She stepped sharply aside and headed for the stairs, likely having something to share with her friends.
We approached the door, and I knocked rhythmically. Ren opened the door on the first knock, as if she had been waiting for us all along. Her red hair was disheveled, and her silver eyes burned with a feverish glint, though they were swollen from crying.
"Where is Nova?" I asked, skipping all formalities.
Upon seeing me, her grief instantly turned to fury. She clenched her fists, and elusive sparks of chaos danced around her fingers.
"YOU?!" she hissed. "You dare to come here?! She's being expelled because of you!"
"Ren," Catherine intervened, stepping forward. "We want to help. Arta is willing to speak with the rector…"
"Help?!" Ren laughed hysterically. "You've already 'helped'! She went to Evelina, alone! To beg, to humiliate herself! And all because of that stupid duel!"
"Nova challenged Arta to the duel herself," Catherine countered.
"So what?! I'm coming with you," Ren said impulsively, stepping forward and trying to get past us. "She needs me, not you! We'll solve this together!"
"No." My word was sharp and cold, blocking her path. "You will stay here."
"What do you think you're doing?!" she exploded, trying to push me away. "You think you can order me around?! Nova needs my support, not your icy politeness! I'm going, and you won't stop me!"
She tried to push past again, but I didn't move. I looked directly into her tear-streaked, furious eyes.
"You will go there, make a scene, and say too much. You will provide the rector with the perfect pretext to make Nova's expulsion final and irreversible. Is that the outcome you desire?"
Ren froze as if she had hit an invisible wall. My words, devoid of emotion but full of ruthless logic, struck her harder than any physical barrier. She opened her mouth to argue but found no words. In her eyes, fury gave way to despair and realization. She knew I was right.
Catherine gently touched her shoulder.
"Trust us, Ren. We'll handle it. For her."
Ren slowly stepped back into the room, her shoulders slumping. After hearing that, she fought no more.
We left Ren's room and headed for Evelina's chambers on the same floor. When we reached the door, a female guard blocked our path.
"Her Highness is busy," she said coldly.
"This is an urgent matter," I replied, keeping my tone even. "Please inform her that Artalis Feda Nox wishes to see her immediately."
The guardswoman bowed her head, clearly not intending to yield. However, the door suddenly opened, and Evelina appeared on the threshold.
"Artalis and…" She looked at my roommate, as if appraising her with a glance.
"Catherine Holu, Your Highness." She gave a slight curtsy and placed a hand over her heart.
"Very well, come in. I believe we have things to discuss," Evelina Valtheim smiled, inviting us to follow her. Passing through the reception room where I had been before, we found ourselves in a spacious sitting room. Velvet white sofas, wood-paneled walls—everything was done with a refined elegance often seen among the rich and powerful. On one of the sofas sat Nova, her gaze directed at me, aggressive, but outwardly she expressed calm and resignation.
"I assume you know each other and do not need a separate introduction. However, Nova, with Artalis has come her friend, Catherine Holu," Evelina gestured toward her, and Catherine respectfully closed her eyes, as if she disliked attention.
Nova shot a brief glance at Catherine but said nothing, choosing a tactic of silence.
Evelina gracefully sat in an armchair at the head of the table and gestured for us to take the seat opposite Nova.
We obeyed, but I had no enthusiasm for following all these courtly rituals, and my body was not in the best shape at the moment.
"Well, Artalis Nox, I assume you have come regarding Nova Cross and her behavior," Evelina said with a cunning smile.
Nova Cross abruptly stood up from the sofa.
"Evel…" she faltered, "Your Highness, I would rather not discuss anything we talked about with her."
"Is that so?" Evelina asked thoughtfully. "I suppose in that case the matter is settled, and you can leave?"
Something inside Nova broke, and she silently and submissively sat back down on the sofa. Her gaze was filled with cold malice, as if she despised me with every fiber of her being.
"Your Highness, to be honest, I came to speak with you about wanting to help Nova stay at the academy." I paused to glance briefly at Nova Cross, who was clearly shocked by my revelation.
"Hmm, I suppose that significantly simplifies the matter, Nova?" Evelina looked into her eyes as she sat there, her mouth almost agape with surprise. Nova remained silent, as if pondering every word spoken, her fingers clasped, her posture slumped despite her noble lineage.
"I see no reason to prolong our conversation," I said, deciding to break the silence. "I suggest we go to the rector's office now, before the order is published."
Evelina held out her hand, commanding me to stop and be silent.
"We have plenty of time. The order will not be published until tomorrow morning," she replied coldly, clearly expecting some reaction from Nova.
Nova took a deep breath.
"Artalis, I apologize. You defeated me fairly in the duel, even if, technically, it was a draw." She paused. "I don't know what came over me. At that moment, my mind was overcome by an unprecedented chaos; I literally was not in control of my actions."
"You almost killed her!" Catherine blurted out, clearly dissatisfied with the level of Nova's apology.
"Perhaps… But I truly did not understand what was happening to me. It was like a state of temporary insanity," Nova said with a sincere shrug.
Of course, I understood perfectly what had happened to her: the chaotic energies had overloaded her brain and caused her body to react in such a way. However, to speak of the reasons, even if it meant calling Chaotic Light the goddess of fertility, was too shortsighted and posed a direct threat to my mission.
"Artalis, do you always behave this way?" Evelina had been observing me all this time and finally decided to ask a question. "I mean, do you really not care that you almost died?"
Her questions, even in such informal conversations, remained dangerous, but I knew perfectly well what to answer. However, for some reason, Catherine answered for me.
"Maybe she has post-traumatic shock?" Catherine asked, thereby making a strategic mistake.
Her emotional impulse was an inefficient display. In that moment, Catherine ceased to be an unknown variable to Evelina; she had willingly submitted her core vulnerabilities for analysis.
"Is that so?" Evelina smiled. "Catherine Holu, I assume you value your friendship with Artalis so much that you decide to intervene in our conversation?"
Catherine's cheeks flushed with the realization of her guilt; her body's reactions were too obvious. Now Evelina would see her as a source of information through which she would try to discover my secrets. However, there was a silver lining: if anything unnecessary reached Evelina, Catherine would completely lose my trust, and if not, she would confirm the correctness of my investment choices.
"I assume Catherine still has much to learn, but I promise, Your Highness, I will personally oversee this process," I replied, glancing briefly at Catherine.
Evelina smiled at me almost sincerely.
"I have no doubt, Artalis. You have demonstrated your level of magical proficiency perfectly. I assume you can handle Catherine as well." After she finished speaking, her gaze fell back on Nova.
Nova looked up and met my eyes.
"Your skills are truly amazing, Arta. I never thought anyone at the academy was… stronger than me." Nova shook her head sadly and added, "Now I understand why you were chosen as the mage-guardian, and not me." Nova lowered her eyes and stared at the floor, so as not to see the reactions of the others present. It was clear that deep down, she had not yet come to terms with this fact.
I fell silent. I had nothing to say in response. As a rule, silence is better than a thousand words.
Evelina, noticing my reaction, addressed me and Nova:
"Artalis, Nova, you may go. And please, do not be surprised by the news you will see." She smiled, cold and calculating. "And you, Catherine, please stay. We have things to discuss."
I stood up from the sofa, in sync with Nova, and cast a brief glance at Catherine, hoping she understood that joking with Evelina Valtheim could lead to a tragic end.