The servant, a young man with a nervous twitch, rushed into the room where Eclipse lounged with the casual grace of someone, who had long since mastered the art of looking busy, while doing absolutely nothing.
"Eclipse!" he exclaimed, breathless, clutching a letter like it was a live snake. "There's a letter for the Master, from the royal palace!"
Eclipse's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of genuine interest breaking through his otherwise impassive facade. "Give it to me," he commanded, extending his hand with the kind of authority that suggested he was used to getting what he wanted.
The servant hesitated as he handed it over, "Should I have not brought it?" he asked, the uncertainty evident in his voice.
Eclipse's gaze remained fixed on the letter, his expression unreadable. After a moment of silence that felt like an eternity, he finally replied, "No, you did good. I'll take it to her." With that, he dismissed the servant with a wave of his hand, who scurried out of the room as if he had just escaped a dragon's lair.
Meanwhile, deep in the bowels of the guild's dungeon, a different kind of drama unfolded. A man chained to the wall, bruised and battered from earlier interrogations, was desperately wishing he could be anywhere else. His defiance had evaporated the moment he found himself in the presence of Raze, the true guild master and possibly the most deadly person in existence.
At first, he had hurled insults at her like a child throwing rocks at a beehive, convinced that his bravado would intimidate her. But Raze had simply taken a chair, sat down, and rested her chin on her hand, staring at him with an intensity that felt like being slowly roasted over a fire.
As the minutes dragged on, his bravado crumbled under the weight of her unblinking stare. He tried to provoke her into responding, but she remained as still as a statue, her expression as impassive as a stone wall. Eventually, desperation kicked in, and he began spilling secrets, hoping to elicit some kind of reaction. But Raze was still, her gaze penetrating and unfazed. It was as if she were staring into the depths of his soul and finding it lacking in entertainment.
By the time Eclipse arrived at the cell, he found the man cowering on the ground, his face hidden behind his hands as if that would somehow shield him from Raze's unwavering scrutiny.
"Hm?" Eclipse said, raising an eyebrow as he approached. He glanced at Raze, who was still sitting casually, her expression as blank as a sheet of paper. "Master?"
Raze blinked, as if coming out of a trance. "Oh... Eli," she said, her tone as flat as the stone walls surrounding them.
Eclipse's surprise was genuine. "Master, has he not revealed anything yet?" he asked, tilting his head slightly, curiosity piqued.
Raze continued to stare at the man, who was now trembling like a leaf in a storm. "Right," she replied, her voice devoid of any inflection. "He is working for Lemon, something."
Eclipse's eyebrows shot up. "I suppose, Count Lemran, then?" he ventured, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Raze nodded, her expression still as unbothered as ever. "Right, that was it."
"Then, pray tell, my dear Master," Eclipse continued, his saccharine smile barely masking his irritation, "when did he reveal this sweet—I mean, bitter information?"
Raze rubbed her neck, appearing genuinely puzzled by the question. "An hour ago...?"
Eclipse's smile twitched, and he stared up at the ceiling, his inner monologue boiling over. 'Considering it's her, that must have been three hours ago... Ha, and here I was dealing with that nonsense of a noble.'
He turned back to Raze, his expression unimpressed. "So, why are you still sitting here?"
Raze stretched her arms as if she just woke up from a refreshing nap, "It was relaxing."
Eclipse's smile twitched a second time, his patience wearing thin. "You have a letter," he reminded her, his tone dripping with faux sweetness.
Raze finally stood from the chair, her gaze wandering to a spot somewhere in the distance, distracted. "Is that so?" she asked, her disinterest palpable.
Eclipse's eyes narrowed slightly as he stared at her, his expression turning serious, "It's from the royal palace."
Raze flinched, her eyes widening imperceptibly. For a fleeting moment, she seemed almost human—vulnerable. But just as quickly, the mask of indifference returned, and she turned her attention back to him. "Did you bring it?"
Eclipse reached into his pocket, pulling out the letter with a theatrical flair, as though he were presenting a rare artifact. He handed it to her, his gaze focused intently on her features, searching for any hint of emotion.
Raze took the letter and began to read it internally, her expression remaining impassive, yet the atmosphere shifted, becoming charged with a sense of anticipation.
"Are you planning to go?" Eclipse asked cautiously, his voice barely above a whisper as he watched her.
Raze's gaze remained glued to the letter, her brow furrowing slightly.
"Master?" Eclipse pressed, his heart racing slightly.
Raze finally tucked the letter into her pocket and turned to him, her expression a mix of annoyance and confusion. "Why would I do that?"
Eclipse gulped, feeling smaller than a mouse in a lion's den. "I just thought…"
"Thought?" Raze echoed, her voice turning cold, the temperature in the room dropping several degrees.
"It's the first time the princess is making an appearance," Eclipse blurted out, feeling the weight of her icy glare.
Raze's gaze softened slightly, her demeanor shifting from icy to contemplative.
"I was just asking! It's not like you have to go. There's absolutely no—" Eclipse stammered, his nervousness spilling out like an overflowing cup of water.
"I'll go," she said, her tone suddenly decisive.
Eclipse's jaw dropped, his eyes widening in disbelief. "What?"
"Do you want to come?" She asked, her expression still unreadable.
Eclipse stood there, utterly stupefied, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. He blinked rapidly, trying to process the sudden shift in their plans. 'Me? To the royal ball? With her?'
"I'm sorry, what?!"