Sometimes, just when you think you know people,they disappoint you in ways that you can't anticipate.
....
Fate has a way of turning things upside down in an instant.
"Me" who should've been asleep in my apartment, tucked under a creaky ceiling fan. Instead, I was rocking in a horse carriage that looked like it had been pulled out of a children's storybook.
The carriage rocked in a rhythm that might've been soothing if not for the man across from me.
Fredrick.
Short blond hair, eyes as clear as a summer sky, white robes so pristine they made the dusty interior look dirty just by comparison.
He was handsome in the kind of way that made you distrust him instantly . Polished too clean, like a knife that never dulled.
And, of course, he was smiling at me.
"What's your problem, Lynn?
You look irritated."
I shifted against the window, watching the blur of countryside rush past. "Since you can see it, why bother asking, mister?"
"It's Fredrick," he corrected.
Smooth, like he'd practiced the line. "That's my name."
"Just Fredrick?"
"Yes. My parents didn't bother with a second name before leaving me behind. So just Fredrick."
"Tragic" I muttered.
His lips curved slightly. "I like it. Simple, without the burden of expectation.
A second name only becomes troublesome. Like you."
I turned my head, slow, just enough to meet his eyes. "So we're comparing me to the name you never got.
I'm flattered."
He chuckled, soft, maddeningly unbothered.
I let my silence linger, but he never stopped.
"What happened today?
You held yourself better than I expected. Even managed to talk your way through after blurting nonsense in front of everyone. But it was impressive though."
I stared at him. "Thanks for the reminder, mister."
"It's Fredrick. Don't forget it."
He is definitely keeping a ledger.
"You're not planning to toss a divine spell at me halfway, are you?"
"If I wanted, you wouldn't be here.
You'd already be laid to rest in one of our churchyards.
Even sitting across infront of me is a blessing."
"Coming back alive was a blessing. Sitting with you? Not on the list."
He tilted his head, still smiling.
"Then you could always step out. Someone will drag you to the church eventually. Perhaps....by next year."
"You're very confident for a man who's supposed to be holy.
Ever thought of becoming a jester?"
"Holiness and humor aren't mutually exclusive" he said smoothly.
"Though in your case, it's difficult to tell if you're joking or sulking."
I sighed. "Don't mind me. I'm just wondering why a high priest of the Church of Disparity would waste his time escorting me — the 'brand killer' instead of handing me off to someone who actually likes the job."
His voice didn't shift an inch.
"Because I was told to. Whether you live or die isn't my burden.
But… I am curious."
"Curious?"
"To see how far you'll go. If there's anything left in you worth testing."
I leaned into the window frame, the scenery streaking faster than my eyes could follow.
Magic horses,of course. Even travel here had to be unnatural.
He broke in again, soft but persistent. "Do you mind if I ask something?"
"Apparently, you already do."
He ignored the jab. "You look tired.
Was it that difficult, leaving the Blake house? The energy you had this morning should've lasted longer."
"Today's been long. Too long.
And if my guess is right,Dawn's the one who thought this little carriage trip would be fun, isn't he?"
"Dawn?" His smile twitched.
"You shouldn't call him by name.
He's your father. Don't resent him too much. His burdens grew heavier because of you and your siblings."
I didn't move. "Who said I resent him?"
"Then you like him?"
"I don't."
He laughed once, under his breath. Not mocking, just entertained.
"I've known your father for fifteen years" he said.
"Never seen him lose his temper.
He is… respectable."
"Respect's mine to give. I'll decide when he earns it."
I finally turned to him, flat.
"But since we've got hours to burn, how about something useful? A real talk.
No sermon."
He gave a little shrug.
"Fine. Mutual exchange.
I'll ask, then you."
"Go ahead."
"How do you feel after dying?" His tone was casual, but the words weren't.
"Not many survive a saintess's divine spell. Call it curiosity."
"Nothing wrong with the spell. Strong enough."
Otherwise, the real Lynn would still be here.
"Maybe your saintess wasn't serious"
I said. "My question now: what's your actual role in this circus?"
He crossed his legs, smug. "Think of me as a mediator between nobles and the church. Without ties, there's only conflict."
"Money versus faith.huh.
Nobles fill your coffers, you sell them influence dressed in prayer. The cycle spins."
He didn't laugh, but his eyes glimmered like he wanted to.
"You don't talk like a man who just crawled back from death" he said.
"I don't have the energy to play dead twice in a row." I leaned forward.
"So tell me , why me? You already tried killing me once. Why drag it out?"
"You were a key figure" Fredrick said evenly. "Then you ruined everything.
Even though you took most of the damage, the church hasn't finished with you."
"Good. Neither have I."
"Are you angry?"
"Irritated" I corrected.
"Someone tried a unexpected trick on me today, and I wasn't in the mood to take the hit."
"So tell me, what are my chances of losing the 'killer' tag from my collar?"
He tilted his head, almost like he pitied me. "Nobles can be swayed with words. The church can't. If you try… the outcome depends only on you."
"And you'll just watch?"
"You're on your own,Son of blake."
"And what if, I still had my abilities?"
"Then no one could touch you,Truly."
He smiled.
"He was strong enough take on almost anything and also, that version of you wouldn't be here, asking me questions.
Seeing you makes me thing ,the distance between being powerful and powerless is just a.. moment of thought."
I let out a slow breath. "How long until we reach your church?"
"May be evening." He leaned back, calm as ever.
"Are you planning to cancel the trip?"
"No. Just planning to sleep a bit."
His chuckle was quiet, almost warm. "Mmm. Sleep, then."
...
The sun was high, its light pressing through the tall windows of the Blake House.
Dust motes drifted in the bright air, carried on the faint scent of polish and warm wood.
The room should have felt alive with day, yet silence lay thick inside, heavier than the brightness allowed.
Dawn stood at the window, back rigid against the glare. The sunlight caught his shoulders, sharpening them into a harder line.
His hand rested against the frame as though steadying himself on a road only he could see.
Glenn had taken the nearest chair, the noon light glinting off the rim of his glass.
He swirled the wine lazily,his gaze drifted from Dawn to the others, then back to his glass, as though daylight itself amused him more than the silence.
Elda stood by the far wall, not stiff but grounded, her shadow stretching long across the floorboards.
She hadn't spoken, though her eyes moved once or twice toward Dawn, waiting for the moment when words might be demanded.
Lore sat close to the table, restless, her fingers folding and unfolding in her lap. The golden light poured across her face, but it only made the sharpness in her eyes clearer.
She stared at her father's back, willing him to turn.
At last, Dawn's voice cut through.
"Glenn. Your thoughts."
Glenn tilted his glass, the sunlight throwing a red shimmer onto his hand. When he spoke, his tone was casual.
"He's changed and unexpectedly he carries himself more steadier.
More confident."
"Confident?" Lore echoed.
Glenn's brow rose, his grin thin.
"Yes, confident. It's a word, not a disease.
Or did you forget what it means?"
He leaned back, the light framing his smirk. "If you doubt me, ask Elda."
Every eye shifted toward her. Elda stayed silent, as steady in daylight as she had been in the shadows.
Dawn's voice hardened.
"I told you to make sure to keep him in this house by using any quiet measures possible.
And here you are, standing like nothing happened.
Do my words mean so little to you?"
Elda lowered her head slightly, her voice calm but unyielding. "I tried, Master."
"Tried?" Dawn repeated, the sunlight cutting sharp across his face. "And then?"
The silence deepened. The warm noon air felt heavier.
Lore broke it, her voice tight. "Wait. You told her to keep him here?"
Dawn didn't turn.
Lore pushed forward, her hands flat on the table.
"You stood before everyone, cast him out like you meant it. And all along, you were still planning to keep him under this roof.
But Why?"
The question hit harder in the brightness of day, exposing what should have stayed in shadow.
Glenn chuckled, setting his glass down with a soft clink. "Now it's sounding like a proper family dispute."
Dawn finally spoke, each word measured. "Because I doubt."
Lore blinked, thrown by the bluntness. "Doubt? What do you mean?"
"That boy walks and speaks like Lynn Blake" Dawn said, still staring into the daylight outside.
"But something in him does not match. Until I know what that is, I'd rather keep him remain close, than let him wander unchecked."
Glenn leaned forward, his voice turning sharp.
"What surprises me isn't Dawn's suspicion. What surprises me is that Lynn declared he'd return to the academy-not next season, but in five days.That isn't arrogance.
That's something else."
Lore scoffed, the sound brittle against the brightness.
"What use does the academy have for him anyway now?
The way he is now, he won't last one hour in the academy.
Liyan will not stay still either."
Glenn's grin vanished. His voice cut flat, calm.
"Careful, young lady.
That mouth of yours grew bold because your brother used to shield it.
He isn't here anymore.
You may have grown, but learn fast , mana is the last measure of a person's worth.
If Lynn turns up on my academy's doorstep, I won't hesitate to take him back in."
Lore's smirk faltered, her hands tightening in her lap, knuckles white in the light.
At the window, Dawn's voice came again, steady as stone. "Tell me, Glenn. Is he truly manaless?"
Glenn's smile returned, thin as a blade. He leaned into the sun's glare, his tone soft but carrying weight.
"If you want my counsel, Dawn… pray he never remembers himself again.
Pray harder he never regains what he's lost."
The words dropped heavy, louder than the silence that followed. Even the sunlight seemed to dim.
Glenn let the stillness stretch before he added, his gaze sliding toward the far wall.
"Or, if my word isn't enough,ask Elda."
Elda lifted her gaze at last, the noon light catching her eyes.
Her voice was quiet, but it carried like a stone dropped in water.
"He's faking it."