"I can." (+20PP)

Ruvian confidently said.

Silvena’s eyes widened in shock.

Ruvian continued his bluffing, almost as a matter of fact. "I can see many possible outcomes. Countless paths. But I can’t be certain which of them is truly the best."

He held her gaze firmly, despite spitting some more bullshit lies.

But his next lines were even more outrageous.

"That is why I need your help, Silvena. I’m just an ordinary person, a nameless commoner. I don’t have any strength or wealth. And I’m not like Necraz, someone who was born extraordinary or destined for greatness."

"But you... you trust your own judgment, don’t you? You believe in your ability to make the right choices for yourself."

"And more than that, you hold something I don’t have, something I need if I want to turn any of those possibilities into reality."

"I need your wealth."

Immediately, Ruvian raised a hand slightly, clarifying. He doesn’t want her to misunderstand his intention.

Even though he really, really wanted all her wealth for himself, if possible.

He continued. "I’m not asking you to give it to me for free. And I’m not begging for it. What I will do is offer you a deal. One that will benefit both of us."

Silvena, still a little bewildered by how direct he was, narrowed her eyes slightly.

"A deal...? What kind of deal are you talking about?"

Ruvian replied without delay.

"Invest your money in me, and I will return it to you three times over."

Silvena studied him deeply, as if searching for conviction. When Ruvian noticed that she didn’t interrupt or dismiss him, he took it as permission to continue.

"And about your earlier question... Yes, the demons were never completely wiped out. They still exist somewhere. And one day, they will return. I don’t know when, and I don’t know how. But I do know that it will happen."

"That’s why I’ve been preparing for the day they come back."

His gaze did not leave hers. "But my blessing alone isn’t enough, Silvena. This foresight ability by itself can’t change the future. I need people. I need allies."

"And more than anything... I need someone like you by my side."

He gently sighed, then asked, more softly but no less seriously.

"So I’ll ask you this again... will you help me?"

No matter what, he needed to get her absolute trust.

Silvena closed her eyes. Then, she opened it.

"You know, if I hadn’t transferred into this academy, that would’ve meant I didn’t believe you at all."

"But I did come here. And that alone should tell you my answer." (+30PP)

She gave a small nod.

"So, of course I’ll help you."

Then her face softened, and a playful light appeared in her eyes.

"But honestly," she added, covering her mouth lightly as a sly chuckle escaped her, "you really need to work on your phrasing. When you said you desperately needed my wealth, and that you needed me to be by your side... I almost thought you were proposing to me."

"What?"

’Who in their right mind would consider that as a proposal?’

Ruvian’s gaze softened.

"Anyway, I’m relieved you agreed."

After that, she turned away from him, letting her emerald hair sway lightly behind her.

"By the way, what exactly are we going to do now? I highly doubt you asked me to wear this very tight training uniform just for show."

Feigning her innocence, she smiled teasingly.

"That would be terribly naughty of you, you know."

"Of course not."

Without another word, he turned and calmly walked toward the elevated stage.

"You’re going to help me train."

Silvena blinked, caught off guard. "Me?"

He glanced back over his shoulder. "You’re skilled with wind magic, aren’t you?"

She folded her arms slowly, curiosity replacing her surprise.

"I believe that I am, yes?"

"Good," he said simply.

"Then teach me a few basic wind spells."

*****

[Silvena’s POV]

Silvena returned to her private quarters just as the evening lamps were being lit along the corridor.

Her room welcomed her in silence.

It was vast, like how a royal gallery felt vast. The ceiling arched high above like the inside of a cathedral dome, painted with faint golds that shimmered when candlelight touched them.

"I see you’ve returned, Lady Silvena."

Irene stood near the window.

"How did it go?"

Silvena walked further inside, the soft rustle of her clothes echoing faintly in the spacious chamber.

She crossed the room and lowered herself into a cushioned chair large enough to resemble a throne in its own right, one leg naturally crossing over the other.

After letting out a heavy sigh, she spoke.

"My worst fear was correct."

"He confirmed it," Silvena continued. "The demons were never truly eradicated. They will make their return."

Irene inclined her head slightly.

"I see."

Silvena rested her elbow on the armrest, her fingers lightly touching her cheek as she gazed ahead in thought.

"Inform Father," she said calmly. "I’ll begin the operations now."

"As you wish."

Long before Silvena enrolled in the academy, she and her father had already discussed what needed to be done.

They had not believed the legends blindly, but neither had they dismissed them.

For weeks now, they had been gathering fragments of truth from across the continent. Yet even with all that, they moved cautiously.

Because Silvena had a feeling she could not ignore.

If demons truly existed...

Then some of them might already be hiding among humans.

Irene’s voice broke her quiet thought. "What will be our next step?"

Silvena smiled knowingly.

"We’ll invest in him."

Irene quietly listened.

"For now, and for the future. He will be our most valuable asset. Which means we must help him grow stronger."

She turned her head slightly toward Irene.

"Tomorrow, we’ll assist with his training again. Just like today."

Then she glanced at Irene with a small, almost sheepish smile.

"So, Irene... I’ll be needing your help with that. You see, I’m not exactly gifted when it comes to teaching others." 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"Will you?"

Irene bowed her head. "Of course. I’ll accompany you tomorrow with his training."

"Great! Ah, and one more thing..." she added softly. "I think I haven’t told you about it yet. What my Father and I discussed is that we’re going to establish a new organization."

Silvena’s gaze drifted toward the window, toward the darkening sky beyond the glass, before she spoke again.

"And he will be part of it."

’Surprisingly, he was thinking along the same lines. That must be why he wanted my wealth, wasn’t it?’

She shifted slightly in her seat, crossing one leg over the other as her tone grew more precise.

"So Irene, send word to Aqua, Seraphine and Bella. Tell them I want preparations to begin immediately."

"Tell Aqua to activate the secondary channels. If she needs resources, she may draw from the contingency reserves Father approved last winter."

"And there is more... I’ve actually made a deal with him today. We traded information. He told me that the western hills of Crenfort will soon be identified as bearing gold."

She rested a finger against her chin and hummed thoughtfully.

"However, do not purchase the mines."

"Instead, acquire the land surrounding them first."

"Understood, Lady Silvena."

Gold has always had a dangerous influence over people. It dulled their caution and magnified their desire. Even the mere rumor of its discovery could unsettle any rational thought.

Once the news began to spread, it would travel swiftly through markets and noble courts alike, and before long, the western hills of Crenfort would be overrun by merchants, investors, and ambitious aristocrats, all desperate to secure a share of it.

Caught up in the excitement, most would focus only on the gold veins themselves, believing that ownership of the mines meant ownership of fortune.

But a mine could not operate on its own.

It needed timber to support its tunnels, water to process the ore, and a reliable road to transport its yield.

Without these, even the richest deposit would remain useless.

If Silvena controlled the surrounding forests, the river rights, and the only viable caravan route, every mining operation would depend on her.

And for that reliance, they would pay continuously, as long as the mines remained active. If no one wants the mines, she will have it for herself including the land.

If her calculations were correct, the initial surge alone would yield close to 45,000 gold coins within the first year.

However, that estimate was made under relatively stable conditions.

If the gold veins proved to be exceptionally rich, the profits would increase steadily and at a far greater rate over time.

"As for Seraphine..." Silvena continued, her fingers tapped lightly against the armrest.

"Instruct her to begin the preliminary selection. Tell her to observe, evaluate, and compile the names only of anyone promising and suspicious."

"And make this clear to her: our discretion is absolute. If she believes she is being watched, then suspend activity immediately and report only through the silent channel."

"Make sure they understand I am entrusting this to them because I believe they are capable of handling it."

"In other words, failure is not an outcome they should be considering." (+200 PP)

"Very well. And what about Bella?"

"Ah, yes. As for her... tell her to acquire [The Heart of Boundless Sea] and [Pyrosol]. Ruvian told me that the artifact and that liquid will play a significant role in the future."

"I’m not entirely sure what he meant by that and what the necklace does... but it shouldn’t be difficult for Bella. She knows how to handle these things."

──────── ✦ ────────

[Chapter 67: The First Piece Moves (3)]