Lux didn't realize he was laughing until the sound left him.
It wasn't loud. More like a breath that slipped free, carrying something light with it. Still, it was enough.
Rese stopped mid-gesture and turned on him immediately. "Alright," she said, narrowing her eyes just a little. "What's funny?"
Lux stiffened, the laugh dying in his throat. "S–sorry. I didn't mean—"
Dominic grinned. "He definitely meant it."
Lux rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed but not retreating. "It's just… isn't it a bit unusual? For nobles, I mean. You argue like this so casually." He hesitated, then added more quietly, "You all seem… close."
The word hung there.
Vale was the one who answered first. "That's because our families are," he said, tone easy. "More specifically, theirs."
He nodded toward Dominic and Rese.
"The Fulgurs and Ardors share ancestry," Vale continued. "Not recent, but close enough that they basically grew up together."
Rese scoffed. "That's one way to put it."
Dominic puffed his chest slightly. "Which makes us distant cousins."
"Don't remind me," Rese shot back. "Sharing blood with an egoist like you is already bad enough."
Vale smiled faintly. "As for House Dolus—we're a vassal house of Fulgur. We handle financial management, contracts, long-term investments. Things that don't involve shouting."
"So," Dominic said cheerfully, clapping a hand on Vale's shoulder, "by technicality, I'm his boss."
Vale didn't even look at him. "And by technicality, I ignore you most of the time."
Lux blinked. "That all sounds… complicated."
Rese sighed. "Welcome to life."
They drifted into easier conversation after that. Less formal. Less guarded. Lux mostly listened at first, absorbing more than he spoke.
Rese carried herself exactly how he'd imagined a noble should—every word precise, posture flawless, pride woven into everything she said. She spoke about House Ardor with a fire that never dimmed, her passion slipping through even when she tried to temper it. Lux noticed how quickly she reacted to anything that touched on honor or reputation.
Dominic was the opposite kind of intense. He spoke like the world was already his to conquer, confidence radiating off him effortlessly. It didn't feel forced, though—more like he'd never learned to doubt himself. Yet beneath the bravado, Lux sensed genuine excitement whenever something challenged him.
Vale balanced them both. He didn't speak often, but when he did, it was usually to redirect the conversation before it derailed completely. There was an ease to him, a kind of quiet awareness that made Lux think Vale spent more time observing than participating. Maybe it was the slight age gap. Maybe it was just who he was.
They talked about things Lux barely understood and some he could—academy preparations, instructors with reputations that sounded exaggerated or even things as minuscule as their new favorite dish. Even when he couldn't relate, he enjoyed listening. It felt… normal? No. Compared to the average citizen his life couldn't be considered normal. It felt comforting.
Eventually, Lux glanced toward the tall windows lining the hall.
The sky had darkened fully. Lights glimmered across the city beyond the glass, and the noise of the gathering had softened into something calmer, slower.
"I think it's getting late," Lux said. "The gathering's probably ending soon."
Rese nodded. "About time."
"It's a shame," Lux added, surprising himself with how genuine it sounded. "I was enjoying talking with you all."
Vale hummed in agreement.
Dominic stepped closer to Lux, eyes gleaming with sudden purpose. "But before we part—there's something we have to do."
Lux frowned. "Do?"
"To seal our rivalry," Dominic said proudly.
Lux stared at him. "Seal?"
Dominic beamed, like this was the most obvious thing in the world. "Our rivalry. You don't just declare something like that and walk away."
Lux opened his mouth, then closed it again. "And what exactly does that involve?"
Dominic's smile sharpened.
"Our first duel."
Lux was starting to think he'd said the words what and huh more today than in the rest of his life combined.
"Huh?"
His confusion must have been obvious, because Dominic looked downright pleased by it.
"You can't just declare a rivalry and leave it hanging," Dominic said, folding his arms with dramatic satisfaction. "You have to set the score first. That's how it works."
Lux blinked. "Set… the score."
"With a duel."
Lux scratched the back of his head, expression torn somewhere between disbelief and reluctant amusement. "I didn't exactly agree to being your rival, you know. I was kind of dragged into this."
Dominic shrugged. "The moment we exchanged names everything else became history."
Lux let out a small breath, then nodded. "I guess I don't mind."
Rese immediately turned on Dominic like he'd just suggested jumping off a cliff.
"Have you lost your mind?" she snapped. "You just want to stroke your ego by beating him in front of everyone, don't you?"
Dominic opened his mouth, but she didn't give him the chance.
"Lux," she continued, turning to him instead, tone sharp but not unkind, "you just started training. I don't care how fast you advanced—you're still a novice compared to us. You don't even have a Heritage."
Lux raised an eyebrow slightly. "I don't think it's that big of a deal," he said. "Honestly… I've been wanting to test what I can do. Training's one thing, but it's not the same."
Vale sighed softly, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "It is a big deal," he said, then looked at Lux more seriously. "You need to understand what you're agreeing to."
Lux met his gaze, attentive.
"Dominic isn't just some random noble your age," Vale went on. "He's been a Spark for nearly a year. He's already on the verge of reaching Ember. That alone puts him far ahead of most."
Lux's eyes widened slightly.
"And," Vale added, "he's a wielder of the Fulgur Heritage."
That one landed heavier.
Lux went quiet, thoughts racing. Ember… after a year. That meant Dominic had likely reached Spark at ten.
At first glance, Lux knew his own progress sounded absurd—weeks instead of years, no preparation, no prior exposure. But put against the broader picture, Dominic wasn't normal either. Compared to the average Pathfinder… he was beyond exceptional.
Lux exhaled slowly, then looked up. "Uh… sorry. What exactly is a Heritage?"
Rese groaned. "You're joking."
Lux flinched slightly. "I'm not."
She stared at him for a moment, then clicked her tongue. "What have you been learning this whole time, don't you have an instructor?"
Before Lux could answer, she crossed her arms and continued, clearly resigned.
"A Heritage is exactly what it sounds like. Something inherited. Passed down through bloodlines," she said. "In high nobility, that usually means an Aspect Attribute—an inherent specialization of Hlyr unique to or enhanced by a family ."
Lux still looked lost.
"Uhm… what's an—"
Rese sighed again, slower this time. "Aspect Attributes are the third stage of Hlyr control. You don't need to understand the details yet. What you do need to know is that normally, most people can't properly use them until Blaze rank or higher."
She looked him straight in the eye. "Which means, realistically, you don't stand a chance."
Dominic grinned. "Which is why I'll make it fair."
Everyone turned to him.
"I'll stick to augmentation only," he said easily. "No techniques. No Heritage. I'll even add a rule—if you manage to force me to use it, I forfeit immediately. Sound good?"
Rese looked like she was about to argue again, but Lux spoke first.
He went quiet, thinking.
Everything they said made sense. Not having or even postponing the duel would be wiser.
But patience had never been something Lux had much room for.
Ever since his advancement, there'd been something restless inside him. A need to feel it again—the moment when his body had moved faster, stronger, freer than it ever had before. Training gave him a taste, but it wasn't enough.
He looked up at Dominic.
A small smile crept onto his face.
"Alright," Lux said. "I accept."
The grin Dominic gave him in return was sharp, satisfied, and unmistakably thrilled.