That night, the suffocating weight of Marvin's disappearance pressed heavily on the dormitory.
The empty bed in the corner was a cruel reminder—a void where their friend should have been. The once lively room felt like a coffin, thick with unspoken words and fears neither Cai nor Theodore wanted to admit aloud.
Through the thin wooden walls, they could hear Mr. June and Miss Lidia's hushed voices, the occasional outburst, the clatter of chairs as they argued with the maids. The entire building felt restless, as if the walls themselves knew something was terribly wrong.
But for Theodore, it wasn't just Marvin. It was the village.
Mr. Smith. The strange, cursed man. The way everyone had reacted.
Something wasn't right.
(Am I overthinking this?) Theodore wondered.
Then—a whisper in the dark.
"Hey, Prince..."
Cai's voice was quiet, but strained, as if holding back a storm of emotions.
Theodore turned his head, still lying on his bed. "What?"
"Don't you think it's weird?" Cai's voice trembled slightly, but his tone was serious. "This village... something about it feels off. And the chief—he's hiding something. Did you see how he reacted when Marvin disappeared?"
Theodore remained silent.
Cai continued, voice shaky but firm. "I mean, I get it—this village has been through this before. But... the chief just walked in, out of nowhere, the exact moment Marvin went missing."
Theodore finally turned his head, his crimson eyes narrowing in the dark.
"But...?" he prompted.
Cai hesitated. Then, with a deep breath, he spoke the words that had been haunting him.
"What if he took Marvin?"
Theodore's eyes widened.
He had underestimated Cai. He thought the older boy was just an arrogant loudmouth, all strength and no brains—but this? This was sharp. Cai had connected the dots without Theodore leading him to it.
And worst of all?
Cai was right.
(If Marvin was taken... then was it a sacrifice?)
Theodore rubbed his temples, exhaling sharply. "I get what you're saying," he admitted, his voice calm but firm. "But we can't accuse him without proof. If we act too soon, we might make things worse for ourselves."
Cai clenched his fists, his hands trembling. His voice cracked as he muttered, "He was my best friend. We grew up together..."
Theodore stiffened.
He recognized that pain. It was the kind of wound that didn't heal.
"Save your tears, Cai." Theodore's voice was steady, almost cold. "Now's not the time to cry. Save that energy to find him. I'm sure he's still alive."
Cai swallowed hard, forcing the tears back. "You're right," he whispered. His usual arrogance was gone. All that remained was determination.
Theodore closed his eyes. "Get some rest. We have work to do."
Cai nodded, his breath shaky as he lay back down.
But sleep didn't come easily. Not for either of them.
Theodore didn't care about Marvin's disappearance on a personal level. He had no emotional ties to the boy. But what he did care about was the black mass of energy lurking in that cursed forest.
It was forbidden magic. A taboo.
And yet, it existed here.
(Just what the hell is this village hiding...?)
The morning sun barely peeked through the mist hanging low over the village, but the restless crowing of roosters signaled the start of another day. The village stirred awake, yet inside their dormitory, no one had really slept.
Theodore opened his eyes, feeling the familiar weight of exhaustion pressing against his skull. Dark circles framed his crimson eyes, a testament to the night spent scheming rather than resting.
Across from him, Cai sat on his bed, his posture slouched, his fingers gripping the blanket as if trying to ground himself. His eyes were red, bloodshot from stress and sleeplessness.
Theodore smirked. "I guess neither of us slept well."
Cai let out a bitter chuckle, his voice hoarse. "Yeah… but now that it's morning, I don't plan on wasting time. I need to find Marvin."
Theodore nodded and headed to the washbasin, splashing cold water onto his face. He needed to be fully awake—today was important.
(Finding Marvin? That's just a bonus.)
——-
What Theodore truly cared about was the source of dark magic. The pull of forbidden power had been gnawing at him all night, calling to him like an old friend.
But the real problem? Getting inside the forest without suspicion.
As they walked out of the room, Theodore deliberately reached toward Cai's shoulder, brushing off imaginary dust.
"You've got something on you," Theodore murmured, his voice casual.
Cai, still distracted, instinctively leaned down. "You done?"
"Yeah," Theodore smiled—a harmless gesture.
But his real smile came as they stepped into the open courtyard.
Because the stage was already set.
A heavy unease hung over the gathering students. Conversations were hushed, anxious glances were exchanged, and the space between them felt suffocating—a shared fear neither could voice.
Everyone was thinking the same thing.
Marvin was gone. And if it happened once…
Who would be next?
Then, a voice broke through the tension.
"Theo!"
Vincent jogged over, his usual grin in place, though his eyes held a sliver of exhaustion. "You didn't sleep either, huh?"
"You could say that," Theodore answered smoothly, carefully masking his amusement.
"Let's head down before Miss Lidia forces us into training," Vincent continued.
Theodore barely had time to react before Cai snapped.
"Training?" Cai's voice cut through the air like a blade. "You're worried about training when our classmate is missing?"
Silence gripped the courtyard.
Nobles froze, their mouths slightly open, unsure how to react. Some looked away, avoiding the confrontation altogether. Others whispered behind their hands.
"I mean…," Vincent hesitated, "Mr. June is already handling it. What can we do?"
Cai laughed—a bitter, humorless sound. "What can we do?" He turned to the students, eyes filled with rage and disappointment. "*You're all pathetic. You sit here, waiting for someone else to solve your problems—just like nobles always do."
The words hit deep.
Murmurs spread like wildfire.
Some students narrowed their eyes in offense. Others shifted uncomfortably, unable to meet Cai's gaze.
Vincent's expression darkened. "You dare speak like that?"
Cai's mana flared.
Vincent's aura responded in kind.
The air grew thick, the space between them crackling with tension.
Faith rushed forward, grabbing Vincent's arm. "Stop! You're going to fight over this? This is pointless!"
But neither boy listened.
Their killing intent was tangible.
Students took a step back.
Just as Cai moved to lunge, a sharp voice sliced through the moment.
"Enough!"
Miss Lidia descended the steps, her piercing eyes commanding silence.
The energy snapped, vanishing as quickly as it came.
But Cai wasn't finished.
With one last furious glare, he turned away. Without another word, he stormed off.
"Cai! Where are you going?" Miss Lidia demanded.
No answer.
Vincent sighed, running a hand through his hair before turning to Theodore. "Let's go, Theo. Forget about him."
But Theodore—calculating, composed Theodore—only stared at Vincent with cold disappointment.
"I never thought you were this selfish," Theodore said. "I always thought you were better than the others. But you only care about yourself."
Vincent flinched.
Theodore walked away without another word.
The courtyard was silent.
Students stared at Vincent, waiting for a reaction.
But he had none.
His hands clenched at his sides. His jaw tightened.
For the first time, he looked unsure.
The Masterstroke
Theodore followed Cai's path, but not before casting one last glance back at Vincent.
And he smiled.
(The plan worked.)
Cai was now completely isolated—angry, emotional, and desperate. His mind was easy to mold now.
Just like Cadin at Skullhead Mountain.
He didn't even need to use dark magic for this.
Just a few words.
A few pushes.
And now, Cai was heading exactly where Theodore wanted him.
(I just needed to divide them first… and it worked.)
Theodore looked at his palm, where he felt the familiar ache of restriction. The Book of Shadows' seal still bound his dark magic.
Three months left…
Then, he'd be free.
Theodore smiled.
Everything was falling into place.