"Concerned, are you? Or perhaps it''s something else entirely. I noticed a little… expression back there. One that suggests you''re far less ''concerned'' and a lot more…"


    "Judgmental."


    The moment he said those words, the disciple''s expression hardened. "A proper alliance requires respectablepany," she replied, her voice tight. "We wouldn''t want Miss Valeria to be surrounded by anyone… unsuitable."


    At this, Lucavion''s smile sharpened, his eyes narrowing as his amusement took on a dangerous glint. "Interesting," he replied, his tone dropping to a near whisper that only she and herpanions could hear. "You know, I could say the same about those who believe they''re entitled to Miss Valeria''s time simply because they belong to a ''prestigious sect.''"


    Valeria, who had been silently watching the exchange with growing irritation, cleared her throat, her gaze steady and unamused. "I think that''s enough," she interjected, her voice cutting through the tension. Her patience was wearing thin, and she could already feel the weight of the disciples'' unspoken resentment settling heavily in the air.


    Lucavion turned back to her with a slight tilt of his head, his smirk softening as he met her gaze. He held up his hands in a show of mock surrender. "Of course, mydy," he said, his voice as smooth as ever. He took a step back, inclining his head toward her in a mocking bow. "After all, I wouldn''t want to keep you from such… respectablepany."


    The disciples'' expressions tightened, their gazes filled with open disdain now, but they held their tongues, likely aware that pushing the issue further would only reflect poorly on them.


    As they turned to leave, one of the disciples couldn''t help but mutter under her breath, her voice barely audible butced with bitterness. "Tch… you men, always defiling another pure woman…"


    Valeria caught the remark, her brows knitting slightly, though she held her expression carefully neutral. But Lucavion''s smirk twitched as he clearly heard it too, his amusement unbothered, if anything, deepened.


    The young disciple who had initially approached Valeria took a step closer, her face a mixture of forcedposure and faint disappointment. She inclined her head politely, though her gaze lingered on Valeria''s, resolute.


    "Miss Valeria," she began, her tone firm but respectful. "Our offer still stands, regardless of… currentpany." Her gaze flicked to Lucavion with thinly veiled reproach before returning to Valeria, and she forced a small smile. "If you wish to take us up on it, our disciples can be found all around Andelheim. Simply say,


    ''Sister Zerah called me here,''


    and they will know to take you to us."


    With that, she offered one final bow, her expression softening ever so slightly, as though hoping Valeria would change her mind. But she didn''t wait for a response. With a brisk nod, she turned, and herpanions followed her down the hallway, their robes swaying as they moved, whispers passing between them as they disappeared from view.


    The moment they were out of sight, Lucavion leaned back with a low chuckle, crossing his arms as he turned to Valeria. "Well," he murmured, raising an eyebrow, "you certainly attract… interesting admirers." His eyes gleamed with mischief as he nced in the direction the disciples had gone. "Pure, indeed."


    ******


    As Valeria and Lucavion disappeared from view, the disciple named Zerah''sposed expression dissolved, leaving a hardened, icy gaze in its ce. Her lips pressed into a thin line, and a shadow of resentment clouded her eyes. The casual audacity of that man—the way he''d spoken as if he had some right to stand beside a woman like Valeria—grated against her pride.


    "He dares," she muttered under her breath, her voice barely above a whisper yetced with venom. She knew Valeria was a talent, someone of potential and skill who would have bolstered the Cloud Heavens Sect''s reputation if she had joined them. The fact that Valeria had shown even slight interest before only made Zerah''s anger burn brighter. This was supposed to have been a straightforward acquisition, but that man had disrupted it all.


    Turning to her fellow disciples, she met each of their gazes, noting the shared looks of disdain and disbelief among them. "That…


    man


    —find out who he is," Zerah ordered, her voice carrying an edge of quiet authority. "If he''s alsopeting in the tournament, I want every detail. He cannot be permitted to interfere any further."


    The disciples exchanged nods, their expressions resolute. One of them stepped forward, her tone hushed but eager. "And what should we do if he proves to be a threat to our ns, Senior Sister?"


    Zerah''s gaze narrowed, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her mouth as she looked down the corridor where Valeria and Lucavion had gone. "If he''s a problem, we''ll make sure he doesn''tst long in the tournament," she said smoothly, her tone cool and controlled. "The Cloud Heavens Sect does not tolerate interference from those who would tarnish the integrity of our alliances."


    The disciples nodded, their expressions hardening in shared purpose. Zerah gave them a final look, her lips curving into a smile that held no warmth. "See to it," she said, and without another word, they dispersed, their figures melting into the shadows of the bustling halls of Andelheim.


    *******


    As the whispers of the Cloud Heavens Sect disciples faded down the corridor, Valeria turned her gaze on Lucavion, who remainedfortably close, still radiating that maddening mix of amusement and self-assurance.


    The warmth of his arm around her shoulders lingered, though he''d removed it to address the disciples. She folded her arms, her lips pressed in a tight line.


    "Did you even think before you did that?" she asked, her tone cool but undeniably edged. "You touched me. And you interfered without even a word."


    Lucavion only chuckled, a slow smile spreading across his face as he shook his head. "Oh, don''t tell me you''re upset with me for lending a hand." He gave her a slight, knowing nce. "You looked like you were in trouble."


    "I don''t need help," she replied, leveling a hard gaze at him. "Especially not yours."


    A faint trace of something close to pity flickered across his face, though it was quickly masked by that same, insufferable smirk. "Oh, is that right? Seemed to me they were pressing you, and you couldn''t just outrightly refuse them…..You did not want to go with them, but at the same time you don''t also want to offend them, isn''t that right?"


    Valeria''s gaze flickered, the hint of admiration she felt buried deep beneath her lingering frustration. He had read the entire situation with unnerving uracy, his insight sharp enough to cut through her initial irritation. It was exactly as he said—she didn''t want to go with them, but outright rejection would have made things needlesslyplicated with the Cloud Heavens Sect.


    Lucavion''s smirk softened as he watched her hesitate, almost as if he knew she wouldn''t argue back this time. "Am I wrong?" he prompted, his tone gentler now, holding that unmistakable air of experience that she recognized only after a moment.


    She exhaled, reluctantly giving him a curt nod before starting down the corridor. "You''re not wrong," she admitted, her voice low, unwilling to give him more than that. "But that doesn''t mean you needed to—"


    "Save the day?" he cut in, falling into step beside her. He tilted his head with a faint glimmer of amusement, though there was something more thoughtful beneath his usual smug exterior. "Just to be clear, I was not saving you."


    Valeria turned, casting him a sidelong nce, her curiosity piqued as he added, "I just saw an unpleasant sight and intervened, that''s it." He shrugged his expression as nonchnt as ever. "It also works in my favor anyway."


    She stopped mid-step, her brow furrowing.


    Works in his favor?


    The casual, almost dismissive way he''d said it stirred a flicker of suspicion in her mind. What did he stand to gain from interfering like that?


    She started thinking about the possible oues of what he did. She started considering his move from different angles.


    Inserting himself into that situation had been deliberate, a message as clear as a drawn sword: Lucavion wasn''t someone to be overlooked, nor was he willing to let others set the terms around Valeria.


    To those disciples of the Cloud Heavens Sect, his intervention would seem like a warning—a subtle show of dominance and a way to bare his teeth, revealing just enough edge to make them think twice before pressing their agenda.


    She could almost picture how the disciples would respond. They''d start watching him more carefully, even as resentment simmered just beneath the surface. He had disrupted whatever ns they''d entertained, and if he was now on their radar, they wouldn''t forget it easily.


    But why take that risk?


    she wondered, casting a brief, unreadable nce his way as they continued down the hall. His words echoed in her mind.


    "It works in my favor."


    For Lucavion, that could have meant keeping potential threats at arm''s length while drawing just enough attention to himself.


    ''But, why does he think Cloud Heavens Sect is a threat, if that were to be the case? Why is he trying to gather their attention to himself?''


    That was the part that she couldn''tpletely understand, as she could not see any reason for him to do such a thing.


    "Valeria."


    His voice cut through her thoughts, soft yetced with a quiet urgency that drew her attention immediately. She turned, her gaze meeting his. Lucavion''s expression was unreadable, his usual mask of amusement reced by something deeper, something that gave her pause.


    "Can you see what is beyond the surface?"