Silva could hardly believe her eyes.
Eclipse was sprawled out on the ground in the Academy hall, pale and unconscious.
A faint breath escaped his lips, but it wasn't enough to assure Valeria, who knelt beside him, wide-eyed and in full panic.
He actually brought her here?
"He's dead! He's dead!" Valeria cried, shaking his shoulders.
He wasn't, of course—but the sight of him unmoving, battered from the trial, was enough to rattle her.
So if she's here, then... did he actually leave a herb behind? For her?
Around them, the hall was a mess of injured students and bustling staff, an unusual sight for the Academy.
A nurse rushed over, having just finished tending to a crowd of weary students.
She was visibly exhausted as she looked over Eclipse, about to reach down when Silva stepped in, blocking her with a polite but unyielding gesture.
"This is my master," Silva said, bowing her head with just the right touch of authority. "He specifically asked for me to look after him."
Valeria's brow shot up, her tone incredulous. "He what? No, he didn't!"
The nurse raised a curious eyebrow, her gaze flicking over Valeria's clothes.
She wore neither a student's badge nor anything remotely resembling a maid's attire.
Valeria looked nervously around, then forced a smile.
"Uh… my uniform was, uh, torn in the forest! This is just a spare… outfit." She tugged at the frayed edges of her clothes, trying to look as natural as possible.
The nurse raised an eyebrow but simply nodded, deciding there were more pressing matters elsewhere.
With the nurse gone, Silva cast a wary glance around the chaotic hall.
She surveyed the injured and the few unmoving forms draped under blankets.
Some students were barely standing, clutching bandaged arms, eyes hollow from exhaustion.
Among them, the Hero's team was slumped against a wall, just as worn as the others, silently recuperating.
Seraphine was there, tired, giving them a glance.
Usually, there would be teachers circulating, giving scores and verifying trial results, but the mayhem seemed to have overridden any semblance of normalcy.
Silva gave a determined nod, crouched down, and effortlessly lifted Eclipse onto her back.
Valeria scrambled to gather his fallen belongings, nearly fumbling the bag as Silva shot her a sharp glance.
"Is this your doing?" Silva's voice was low and edged with suspicion.
Valeria's jaw dropped, her cheeks flushing. "What? No! When he brought me here, he was just fine!"
Silva's gaze didn't soften as she watched Valeria awkwardly gather Eclipse's things, her hands fumbling over the contents.
"Did you forced him to bring you?"
"What, no!" Valeria stammered, clutching the bag to her chest. "He didn't explain why, but he did it willingly."
Eclipse did it out of good will, Valeria thought, impossible. What was he planning?
Then she inwardly laughed, but no matter. I know this girl. She won't interfere.
Together, they navigated the winding halls of the Academy, Silva walking with steady, purposeful strides while Valeria trailed close behind.
As they neared Eclipse's quarters, the noise from the hall faded into a tense silence, the air heavy and thick.
The only sound was the occasional echo of their footsteps, reverberating through the empty corridor, giving the space an eerie, deserted feel.
At Eclipse's room, Silva gently placed him onto his bed, ensuring he was comfortable before stepping back.
With a calm, measured motion, she turned to the door, twisting the lock.
Silva's expression had shifted, her face now as still and cold as stone.
Wordlessly, she reached up, stripping off her maid's uniform to reveal a fitted black ensemble beneath, lined with small, gleaming daggers strapped across her chest, arms, and legs.
She slipped on a pair of dark gloves, her fingers flexing as she selected a dagger with meticulous care, the metal catching the dim light of the room.
"Finally," she murmured, her voice low and dangerous, "my job is about to be done."
Before she could take a step toward Eclipse, Valeria darted in front of her, arms spread wide.
Apparently I've thought wrong?
Silva's gaze narrowed, her voice taking on a sharp edge. "What exactly are you doing, Valeria?"
Valeria glanced back at the unconscious Eclipse, his face pale and vulnerable in the dim light, his breathing slow but steady.
She didn't know him well, but she remembered how he'd helped her, even if it was for his own reasons.
"I… I can't let you kill him," Valeria said, her voice barely more than a whisper. "Not yet."
"Do you… care about him?" Silva's voice was colder than ice, each word cutting with a subtle warning.
Valeria swallowed hard, her hands trembling. "No… I don't think so."
"Then move." Silva's tone left no room for argument, her fingers tightening around the dagger's hilt.
But Valeria didn't budge, her expression hardening with quiet determination.
If Silva was going to go through with this, she'd have to go through Valeria first.
Tension filled the air, thick and heavy as the two stared each other down, the dim light casting shadows across their faces.
Neither wanted to draw too much attention, to let their intentions leak beyond these walls.
A skirmish here, near the rooms, would ruin both their plans, especially if the Academy caught on.
They were locked in a silent struggle, daring each other to make the first move.
After a beat, Silva's lips curled into a mocking smile. "Tell me, thief. Why are you here, aboveground, instead of lurking with your sisters in the depths?"
Valeria's jaw clenched, her face set with a steely resolve. "That's exactly why I'm here."
She lifted her chin, meeting Silva's icy gaze with defiance. "My sisters… they've gone missing."
A flicker of surprise crossed Silva's face, though she quickly masked it.
They held each other's gaze, the faintest hint of shared understanding passing between them.
Plop.
But the tense silence was abruptly interrupted by a faint, almost comical squelching noise from across the room.
Both of them turned, brows furrowing as they watched Eclipse's bag slowly begin to shift.
Something blue and translucent poked out from the top, wobbling uncertainly as it flopped onto the floor with a moist plop.
A slime.
Small and jiggling, with a faint, almost mischievous glint in its otherwise blank eyes.
Silva arched an eyebrow. "Are you seeing this?"
"Uh… yeah,"
"Did he… actually bring that thing here?"
"Well, I didn't bring it."
The slime gave a faint quiver, seeming almost nervous under their scrutiny, then, as if sensing the danger it was in, began inching its way back toward the bag.
Valeria and Silva glanced at each other, barely able to suppress their bafflement.
"Should we… kill it?" Valeria asked uncertainly.
"We probably should," Silva replied, eyes still fixed on the tiny creature. "But…"
The slime, as though understanding their intentions, paused mid-wriggle, its body shuddering in fear.
Then, ever so slowly, it began oozing backward, shuffling awkwardly into the safety of Eclipse's bag.
The room fell silent again, and for a moment, both women just stared, struggling to process the absurdity of what had just happened.