The old lady in the cheongsam didn't speak.
Her long black hair was coiled into a neat bun, held in place by a single hairpin crowned with a small phoenix.
As always, she seemed to know things—and as always, she refused to share them.
Lily stood straight beside me, soldier-still, calmly recapping everything to the executive seated before us.
The almond-shaped eyes barely spared us a glance.
Instead, they lingered on the tangerine-haired girl passed out on the medical bed, watched over by Lady Yomin.
"…"
Lily waited. She didn't press. Either out of discipline—or because she knew better than to rush our boss into revealing anything.
Maybe I was the impatient one.
I wanted to know what that thing was.
I prided myself on knowing things.
So why not this?
The old woman finally released a long, quiet sigh. Her shoulders never softened as she turned away from Kim's bed to face us.
Sharp face. Sharper eyes.
Disappointment?
Strictness?
I didn't care to tell.
I looked anywhere but at her.
"You're telling me," she said, her gaze flicking briefly to me before settling on Lily, "that you did nothing to attract a Nightmare?"
So that was its name.
Fitting—considering the nightmare it had been to deal with.
"Well, yes, ma'am. We were only arresting non-awakened humans when it appeared out of nowhere," Lily explained, her voice respectful and almost quiet as she addressed Executive Lady Yomin.
At least it was her.
Not the other one.
Failures had consequences.
With Lady Yomin, they were—at the very least—tolerable to the skin.
"I see. Well, at least you three are unharmed."
Her voice remained perfectly neutral.
She wasn't going to explain what they were.
Lilyanna and I could tell from the way she barely acknowledged the situation at all.
Lilyanna dipped her head slightly in thanks—to a woman who looked entirely unconcerned.
"We'll find out—"
Lilyanna froze mid-sentence.
The old lady raised one palm in a dismissive gesture.
"I don't want you three getting involved. Sit this one out. The organisation will handle it appropriately."
Her gaze slid to me for half a second as she emphasised the word appropriately.
I didn't need her to say it.
I could practically hear it.
Sending an unknown threat to the bottom of the ocean? What were you thinking, you stupid child?
Or something close enough.
"But, my lady—we can—"
Lilyanna was cut off again.
This time with words instead of a lifted hand.
"Do not make me repeat myself, van Clive."
That was all it took.
A half-raised voice from an old woman—and Lilyanna fell silent.
Lady Yomin turned to me.
Expectant.
Waiting for me to fold the same way.
To promise not to go digging where I didn't belong.
I lifted my own hand and shooed the expectation away with a lazy flick.
Unless knowledge came to me without effort, I wasn't picking up a research book right now.
"Good," she said.
Her heels echoed against the stone as she walked out.
Once the door closed, Lilyanna visibly relaxed.
A slow breath slipped from her nose, her rigid posture finally bending—just a little.
"Gee," she muttered, dropping onto the edge of Kim's bed. "Would it kill her to give us a simple explanation?"
"I doubt they even know what it is," I said quietly. "If I don't, then they won't either."
I stepped closer to Kim.
"If the House of Knowledge doesn't have it, then the organisation won't."
My fingers brushed her face—four resting against her jaw, my thumb tugging gently at her lower lid.
Golden eyes drifted beneath, unfocused, swimming with faint orange light.
"Still unconscious," I sighed, letting her rest.
The professor had already said it wasn't serious.
The creature had simply drained her energy on contact.
"She'll be fine," Lily said, strangely calm.
Her metallic fingers idly played with the strands of hair on Kim's forehead.
"Will you stay with her?" I asked, leaning back.
She nodded.
"Then I'll go. I promised Daniel I'd look after that human."
I glanced at the wall display, checking the time.
"Playing bodyguard?" Lily smirked. "Seriously? Even for your sweetheart, that's not like you."
I rolled my eyes.
"Think of it as practice. Seeing what kids are like before I become a teacher."
Her eyes lit up far too brightly.
Damn it.
I shouldn't have reminded her.
"Oh, right. I forgot," she said. "Kim's been posting about it nonstop."
Mental note: either stop taking Kim on official business—or confiscate her R.U.
"Still… it's strange they made you a teacher instead of a student. You'll only be two, maybe three years older than the oldest class at Alker Academy."
Not surprising.
We had clearly thought the same thing.
"Funny," I muttered. "That's exactly what I said."
"They're just trying to squeeze every coin they're paying you for. Besides—are you really going there to teach?"
I snorted.
"Nope."
Adult nonsense.
Political manoeuvring.
An unwanted direction they were trying very hard to push me into.
"Say my hellos to your little human," Lily added lightly, never leaving Kim's side.
I doubted she heard my irritated huff as I slipped out of the medical room.
The hallway swallowed me in sterile silence.
Endless white stone.
Cold white light.
The medical wing of the organisation felt more like a psychiatric ward than a place meant to heal.
No one came here unless they had no other choice.
Only one office belonged to Professor Adrian—and he'd vanished the moment he finished examining Kim.
Probably still avoiding Lady Yomin.
Those two had never seen eye to eye.
Lady Yomin always had plans for our future.
Professor Adrian Green only wanted us kept away from anything he thought children shouldn't know.
Executives fighting supervisors wasn't new.
I only wished they'd realise none of us were ten anymore.
Both of them were dragging us toward paths they believed were necessary.
Right now, Lady Yomin was clearly winning—considering she'd just turned me into a teacher.
I didn't even know what subject I'd be teaching.
Or what year.
And I certainly hadn't been allowed to argue in front of Queen Luna.
Peer pressure, royal edition.
I stopped in the corridor.
I'd been heading to Adrian to ask about why Kim had collapsed like spilled water—but the faint scent of ashwood drifted through the air.
Lady Yomin had already reached him.
Of course.
So I changed plans.
A flick of magic—
—and I reappeared beneath a tree near Bethlehem City Academy.
Perfect timing.
Students poured through the gates. Some alone. Some in clusters. Some running toward waiting parents.
My gaze swept the crowd.
I searched for one thing.
Stupidly bright orange hair.
Honestly, was it a trend now?
I moved closer to the entrance, drawing a few curious looks from both kids and adults.
Not exactly surprising.
They didn't see me every day.
At first, I didn't spot him.
His hood was pulled low over a purple hoodie, head bent toward his phone.
No friends in sight.
What a charming little loser.
"Yo, kid."
A cluster of teenagers turned toward me at once—like a flock of startled birds.
He looked up.
Stopped dead.
Blue eyes went wide.
Then he hurried toward me.
You'd think he was running to greet an older sister.
"What are you doing here?" he blurted, jogging to my side.
Judging by his flushed cheeks and tight voice, he was either deeply embarrassed—or deeply annoyed.
"Hello to you too," I said mildly. "Not happy to see me?"
I waved at the teacher standing by the exit.
She waved back.
He followed my gaze.
"No. Why would I?" he muttered, shooting me a glare.
I ignored it.
My eyes went to the swelling blooming faintly along his cheek.
"Well, considering we're practically best friends now, I thought you might be."
A few students nearby pointed in our direction.
Ah.
So that was how it was.
"Your classmates seem fun," I said lightly. "Want me to talk to the teacher?"
His head snapped around.
"No," he said immediately. "They don't care. Don't waste your breath."
My gaze slid back to the teacher I'd waved at earlier.
"Is that so?"
I held her stare for an uncomfortably long moment.
She looked away.
"Shall we?" I said, looping an arm around his shoulders to turn him toward the street.
Despite being younger, he was exactly my height.
He jerked away at once, putting distance between us.
"First—don't touch me. Second—we're not friends. And third—why would I go with you?"
Pissy.
Unbelievably pissy.
No wonder he got dragged into things.
"So many rules," I sighed.
"Because I said so."
I caught the back of his hood and tugged it down just enough to reveal his bright orange buzz cut.
Dragging him with me outside, without giving him a chance to refuse or anything.
" I have so much to teach you in such a little time." I sighed as if time rraly did matter to me ofall people.
The boy was hard on his feet, there was no other explanation for it as i kept having to drag him behind to follow me.
"Stop that and walk." I told him sounding like a impatient sister to him. Is this what Anna felt dealing withe me?