The debriefing room smelled faintly of lamp oil and old paper.
Polished wainscoting lined the lower walls, each panel carved in geometric flourishes that reminded Andreas of coffin lids. Above them, pale wallpaper bore a delicate damask pattern—vines and flowers tangled like a fever dream that had overgrown its bounds. A brass chandelier hung overhead, its glass chimneys flickering with gaslight that made the shadows sway in time with his breath.
Even the chairs were ornate—tall-backed mahogany with clawed feet and red cushions. They looked better suited to a drawing room than a military office, but that was just this city's colonel's eccentric taste.
Andreas sat in the only plain chair in the room, opposite the panel. His uniform felt too tight across the shoulders, the stiff collar rasping against his neck. He wanted to loosen it, but every gaze in the room already seemed to be weighing him—measuring the shape of his silence.
What was that mirror? His fingers twitched across the armrest. It turned to stone. That wasn't normal—was it an illusion? Or something worse?
No answers came—only the dread certainty that whatever he had done had drawn new eyes to him. Dangerous ones.
And Clara, he thought, jaw tightening. If she joined that cult... what if she'd sworn herself to that thing?
His face betrayed the storm inside—flickers of confusion, annoyance. A crooked, self-deprecating smile formed before he closed his eyes and wrestled it all back down.
I need to ask Clara some questions. Maybe join the Everest Church... no. Not yet. First, I'll gather information. No drastic moves.
A throat cleared, breaking the hush.
Vance spoke first, his voice slow and deliberate. He was the youngest of the three, with blue hair neatly trimmed and a silver watch chain gleaming across his waistcoat. There was poise in his manner, but also calculation behind his steady eyes.
"Private Stahl," he said, folding his hands. "I trust you understand the purpose of this meeting."
Andreas lifted his chin. "Yes… though I'm still not sure why you three are handling it."
Vance tilted his head, studying him like a curious artifact. "Because, as members of the Golden Knights Order, we're responsible for welcoming new blood into our ranks."
Rico snorted, a sound halfway between amusement and contempt. His green eyes didn't leave Andreas for a second.
"New blood," Rico echoed. "More like unnatural blood. An unawakened like you is not supposed to be possible."
Andreas shrugged, suppressing a smirk. "So... thanks for the compliment?"
"Compliment?" Rico leaned forward, his chair groaning beneath him. "That wasn't praise. I don't trust you, Stahl—and I'll be watching you till the day you die."
"Rico," Vance said, lifting a calm hand.
Rico grumbled but leaned back, arms crossed, eyes still hard.
Kaelin, lounging lazily to the side with one leg slung over the other, smiled like a cat that had found something fun to bat around. Her golden hair was swept back, and her amber eyes glittered with mischief.
"I think you're being a little dramatic," Kaelin purred. "There are so many fascinating reasons Andreas could be like this. Maybe he was born under a strange star. Or brushed against an artifact… or a god. Or maybe—just maybe—he's lying."
The words dripped with honey, but their edge was unmistakable.
"Mmm." Kaelin's smile widened. "For now, we can always trust in Lord Sabeth's judgment."
Vance tapped the folder in front of him. "Whatever your situation is," he said, voice firm, "his orders are absolute. And you've survived an encounter that some Awakened wouldn't."
He opened the folder, revealing a document sealed in crimson wax.
"You're being promoted. Effective immediately: Lieutenant Stahl, you're newly inducted into the Golden Knights."
Andreas blinked, then gave a small, crooked grin. "Promotion, huh? Guess I earned it after all."
"You'll receive triple your current wage," Vance added. "And quarters in Celestia. We expect to return to the capital within two weeks."
Rico scoffed. "I'll trust Lord Sabeth on this… but I still think this stinks."
Vance pulled out a thicker dossier. "This contains your new assignments, maps, and your deployment overview. Return here in a week. Begin preparing your family for relocation."
Kaelin leaned in again, eyes alight. "Oh, and Andreas—there's an old tradition. Every new Knight has to put on a little show for the rest. Something… entertaining. Think you can handle that?"
Andreas swallowed. Celestia. The capital. Headquarters of the Everest Church. If I play my cards right, I can destroy it in one simple swoop.
Still, this was more than I needed. A chance to understand what the mirror meant. What Clara had gotten herself into. Looks like luck is on my side.
"You know the Golden Knights only accept Awakened," he said quietly. "That's the rule."
Vance smiled faintly. "But I think you won't die on us. And I'm confident you're going to put on one hell of a show."
Rico made a disgusted sound. "Unbelievable."
Silence settled over the room, as fragile as spun glass.
If Clara joined that cult... I need to know before I take my next step. But for now, I should learn more about my work.
Andreas nodded to himself and gave an awkward yet confident smile. "...So what will I be doing as one of the Golden Knights?"
"Whatever mission you're given," Vance answered, "but you can reject them. Since you're a special case, you'll only be allowed to skip missions less often than actual Awakened."
"But first, we have to babysit you for a few months."
Babysit? Is that how it works, or is it a nice way to say they'll be watching my every move?
"Since I'm a special case, what restrictions will I have? Especially in Celestia."
Other than being the headquarters of the Everest Church, it's home to the empire's only university. I've heard that sorcerers live there. If possible, since I have a supernatural ability, I might be able to learn a few spells—or even become a sorcerer myself.
Vance sighed. "We'll tell you that at a later date. For now, let's end this session."
"What!? But I still have more questions—like why did you return the books to me and—"
Kaelin rose in a single, graceful motion, the chair legs whispering across the floor. Her amber eyes glittered with bright amusement as she circled the table to Andreas's side.
"Dear Lieutenant," she sighed, "your curiosity is so endearing. But all good things must end—"
She pulled Andreas out of his chair and planted both hands on his shoulders, giving a firm shove.
Andreas didn't budge.
Kaelin blinked, expression flattening in surprise. She tried again, pressing harder. The plain wooden floor creaked under the pressure—but Andreas remained standing as if he were nailed to the boards.
"...Huh." Kaelin stepped back, studying him with open curiosity. "That's... unexpected."
Rico let out a low bark of laughter.
Andreas ignored Kaelin and looked at Vance instead. His voice was low but edged with frustration. "If you all think I'm such a threat, is it really a good idea to let me go like this? To avoid questioning me properly?"
Rico leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "Finally, something we agree on. He's right. If it were up to me, we'd keep this going until dawn."
Kaelin made a theatrical sigh and folded her arms. "Come on, brother. Stop being so boring."
"What!!" Rico roared.
Andreas turned to Vance again, his jaw tight. "We can't end this session until I'm satisfied."
For the first time all evening, Vance's polished composure wavered. He lowered his gaze to the folder in front of him, the shadows beneath his eyes seeming deeper.
Vance spoke quietly. "Come on, Andreas. Don't be so boring."
Silence pressed in, heavy and expectant.
Andreas studied him for a long moment, searching for any hint of evasion. But Vance only looked tired.
Rico clicked his tongue and left the room at a hurried pace.
Kaelin's mouth curved into a slow, catlike smile. "You still have to heal up, okay? Once you're all better, you can ask all the questions you want."
Andreas drew a long breath, the tension bleeding from his shoulders. "Fine."
In the memories of this world... there were always rumors that the Awakened were all eccentrics. I don't like believing in rumors, but I guess there's a reason why they're treated as fact by so many people. And the Awakened have no reason to hide anything from ordinary people—so maybe they really were true.
"Please return as quickly as possible, Andreas," Vance said gently. "We'll need your strength on this mission."
Kaelin set a hand on his shoulder again—this time only resting there, as if testing whether he would finally cooperate.
"Come along, Lieutenant," she said in an almost sing-song tone.
With a reluctant sigh, he finally lifted his feet, turned, and walked to the door behind him.
Kaelin's hand slid away, a spark of satisfaction in her amber eyes.
"Much better," she softly said.
Andreas stepped past the door into the dim corridor beyond, boots echoing on the marble tile.
Behind him, the door swung shut with a soft click, sealing the chamber.