Seraphina walked toward them with calm, steady steps.

Her golden hair was tied up in a high ponytail, swaying slightly as she moved. Her golden eyes quietly scanned the balcony, taking in the scene before her.

Then they landed on the soft toy in Selena’s hands.

Her eyes widened, just for a brief moment.

Then they returned to their usual calm.

She pulled out the chair beside Amon and sat down, straightening her posture naturally as she did.

"Why are you holding my doll?" she asked, her voice composed.

Selena smirked. "It’s cute. Just like Amon. So I decided to check it out and play with it a little."

Seraphina’s eyes widened again, this time with genuine surprise. "So... Big Sister also likes dolls and soft toys?"

Selena shook her head. "No, I don’t particularly like them." She turned the toy over in her hands, examining it carefully. "But this one is something else entirely. It’s quite amazing." She tilted her head slightly. "I think I might need to get one like this for myself."

Amon immediately leaned forward with a serious expression.

"Hey. That toy’s appearance is based on me. If you want something like that, you need to pay me first for using my appearance to make it."

Selena leaned back in her chair, completely unbothered. She looked at him with calm, confident eyes. "Speak your price. I have plenty of money."

Amon’s mouth twitched.

He stared at her for a moment.

"Damn... how did I forget? You’re a princess. You’re filthy rich. You could probably even buy me outright."

Selena laughed openly. "Haha! Yes, I probably could."

Amon clicked his tongue and leaned back, thoroughly defeated.

There was really no winning against her.

Then Seraphina turned to him. Her golden eyes settled on his face with quiet focus.

"Hey," she said calmly. "Where were you for all those months? What exactly happened to you?" She paused for just a moment. "And how did you end up with a lover?"

Amon blinked.

Then his expression shifted entirely. A slow, proud smirk spread across his face. He straightened up in his chair and folded his hands together.

"Sit back, Sera. Let me tell you the great journey of mine."

And so he began.

He told her everything. Well, mostly everything. He did take certain liberties here and there, stretching a few moments to make them sound a little more dramatic, a little more impressive. Making himself appear just slightly cooler than he had actually been in those moments.

Seraphina listened without interrupting. Her golden eyes stayed on him the entire time, quiet and curious, taking in every word carefully. Only her expressions shifted, subtle changes that showed she was genuinely listening and processing it all.

Selena, who already knew most of it, sat comfortably with the toy still in her lap, watching Amon with faint amusement every time he exaggerated something.

When he finally finished, a brief silence followed.

Seraphina was quiet for a moment.

Then she spoke. "So Scarlett is a vampire."

It wasn’t a question. Her tone was flat and even. Her golden eyes moved to him steadily. "Why did you tell me that? You hid it from my family."

Amon smiled simply. "Because I trust you. But please don’t tell anyone about this."

Seraphina held his gaze for a moment. Then she replied without any hesitation.

"Of course I won’t."

Her voice carried quiet confidence. The kind that didn’t need to be repeated or reassured.

Amon nodded, satisfied.

Then a rare hint of curiosity entered her expression. She tilted her head slightly. "You said she’s older than you... around Professor Adelia’s age."

Her golden eyes looked at him steadily.

"So you really are into older women?"

Amon coughed.

He looked away immediately. His hand moved to rub the back of his neck. "I can’t say anything about that."

Selena immediately burst into laughter. "Yes, he absolutely is." She leaned forward with a wide smile, clearly enjoying every second of this. "Do you know the way he looks at my mother? It’s something else entirely. As if he’s watching some otherworldly woman who was made just for him."

Amon’s face turned red instantly.

"Hey!" He pointed at Selena, his expression completely flustered. "I do not look at Her Majesty like that!" His voice rose slightly. "And have some shame! How can you casually joke about something that involves your own mother?!"

Selena simply rested her chin on her hand and smiled, thoroughly enjoying his reaction.

So did Seraphina. The corners of her lips curved just slightly. It was subtle, but it was there.

Amon noticed it and clicked his tongue. "You too, Sera?"

Seraphina quickly returned her face to its usual composed state. She said nothing.

After the laughter settled, Seraphina returned to her usual composure and asked calmly, "Have you contacted Marcus, Eliana, or anyone else yet?"

Amon shook his head. "No. I haven’t contacted anyone yet."

Seraphina nodded slowly. "They will be very happy to know you are safe and back."

"Yes, I know." Amon grinned, leaning back comfortably. "Honestly, I can’t wait to meet that young master, the elven princess, and that wolfy. It’s been way too long."

Selena glanced at him with a raised brow. "Boy... did you only make noble students your friends?"

Amon thought about it for a genuine moment. He counted quietly in his head.

Then he nodded without any shame whatsoever. "Mostly, yes. They are mostly from good families. Though I do have a few commoner friends as well, just like me."

Selena let out a soft breath of amusement. She hugged the soft toy firmly against her chest, crossed one leg over the other, and looked at him with a calm, knowing expression.

"You’re cunning," she said simply. "Making so many noble friends so that they can be useful to you later."

Amon was not the least bit offended by this.

In fact, quite the opposite.

He unfolded his arms, then refolded them across his chest with an upright, dignified posture. He lifted his chin with a thoroughly proud expression.

"Finally," he said. "Someone who truly understands that I am a genius, smart, and cunning."

Selena stared at him.

A long pause followed.

Then she said flatly, "Okay. I take that back completely." She shook her head slowly. "You being smart, a genius, and cunning all at the same time? That is ridiculous. Completely not possible."

Amon opened his mouth to argue.

This time he genuinely felt offended.

But before he could get a single word out, Seraphina spoke.

Her face was as calm and indifferent as always. Her posture was straight. Her expression hadn’t really changed.

But her voice was quieter than usual.

"Did you... become my friend because of my status?"

The question landed quietly in the air between them.

Amon immediately turned to her. He shook his head. Quickly. Without a single moment of hesitation.

"No, Sera." His voice was direct and clear. "I became your friend because I wanted to. Not because of your status." He looked at her properly. "If anything, the biggest reasons are your cuteness and your kindness. That’s what made me want to be your friend in the first place."

Seraphina stared at him.

A faint, barely visible pink color crept up into her cheeks.

She looked away, her expression shifting to something between embarrassed and flustered—though she was clearly trying very hard to maintain her usual composure. "Bad Amon. You have a lover. You shouldn’t say things like that to other women."

Selena nodded beside her, her face the picture of solemn agreement. "Truly. You are being a very bad boy, a womanizer, Amon." She shook her head slowly, hugging the toy tighter against her chest. "I think I need to report this directly to Scarlett."

Amon’s eyes went wide.

"Hey, it’s not like that at all! Don’t tell Scarlett—" He stopped himself. Then blinked. "Wait. How would you even contact her? You don’t have her details."

He let out a small breath of relief.

Selena simply smiled at him. That calm, unbothered smile that said she wasn’t worried in the slightest.

Which, for some reason, made Amon feel more nervous rather than less.

Just then, a soft, distinct beeping sound came from his pants pocket.

The sound was unmistakable.

Amon slowly reached into his pocket and pulled it out.

The communication crystal Scarlett had given him before they parted ways.

It was glowing. Pulsing gently with a warm light.

"Scarlett!" He said in shocked.

She was calling.

Right now.

Of all the moments in the entire day she could have chosen to call—it was this exact one.

Amon stared down at the glowing crystal in his hand.

He didn’t move.

Selena and Seraphina both turned to look at it. Then at him.

Silence fell completely over the balcony.

Then, slowly, Selena’s smile returned. It spread across her face in the most dangerous way possible.

"Well," she said softly, her voice carrying a quiet, satisfied amusement. "It seems like she saved me the trouble."

Seraphina said nothing. But her golden eyes moved between the crystal and Amon’s face with quiet interest.

Amon stared at the glowing crystal.

His face had gone completely pale.