Victoria asked the Headmaster, "How long will the fall break be?"
Albus Dumbledore replied, "Fall break will last four weeks."
Later, Victoria said to Scarlett, "You can give it to the Headmaster—he'll deliver it to the Velastra estate."
Velastra Estate — A few days later, during breakfast
Victoria stepped through the academy's warp gate and arrived at her ancestral home. She immediately accessed the estate's internal warp network—a fast and efficient system—and transported herself from the western gate to the east wing, where her parents usually took breakfast.
As she made her way down the corridor, she overheard voices—her parents', along with two unfamiliar ones.
Just then, a maid opened the door ahead of her and greeted her warmly. "Welcome back, young lady."
Victoria nodded and walked past her into the dining room.
Inside, she saw a lean man in his mid-fifties, though he looked no older than thirty. He had thick red hair and piercing silver eyes—a hallmark of Valeron's descendants. Dressed in a crimson uniform, he exuded authority: the unmistakable presence of the Commander-in-Chief.
Everyone turned to face her.
"You must be King Meron Griffon," Victoria said with a slight bow. She then gestured to the regal woman seated beside him. "And that would make you Queen Sylpha Griffon."
Queen Sylpha had sharp features and a square jaw. Slender and of average height, she wore her long black hair in a graceful chignon. Remarkably, it shimmered with six distinct hues—each one representing a divine blessing from the gods of magic.
Victoria turned to the young woman seated beside the queen. "And you must be the fifth Princess of Aerieon—Peonia Griffon."
Peonia had long, dark hair styled like her mother's and the same silver eyes. She sat poised, quietly radiant.
Peonia narrowed her gaze and said, "Show me and my parents some respect."
Victoria let out a soft scoff. "Why should I show you any respect? You've done nothing to earn it. Your parents, on the other hand, are deserving of it."
Peonia stood abruptly. "Guards, make this woman kneel!"
Victoria's voice was calm and even. "Be quiet."
Only then did Victoria notice the four figures standing silently in each corner of the room. They wore full Royal Fortress armor—crafted from gleaming Davross and embedded with violet crystals as large as apples on their gauntlets and thighs. Three white crystals adorned each shoulder and the center of the chestplate. The armor resembled golden feathers, shimmering like sunlight. The helmets were sculpted in the shape of eagle heads, with clawed gauntlets and radiant energy wings draped like mantles over their shoulders. These wings enabled flight and could be used to intercept physical and magical attacks. Altogether, the armor made each guard appear as a majestic, metal-clad griffon.
Queen Sylpha's eyes narrowed. "What did you just do to our daughter?"
Victoria replied evenly, "It's merely a hush spell—you might know it better as a silencing spell. It restricts sound, allowing her to hear us, but not speak or be heard."
King Meron gave a simple nod. "Understood."
Victoria stepped forward and bowed. "Your Majesties, may I request permission to study the Royal Fortress Armor?"
Queen Sylpha studied her closely. "Why do you wish to study it?"
Victoria answered, "Royal Forge Master Duke Marth granted me access to study several magical alloys—Orichalcum, Purified Orichalcum, Adamant, and Purified Adamant. I know that Orichalcum amplifies magic by 50%, Purified Orichalcum by 100–150%, Adamant by 150%, and Purified Adamant by 200–400%. But I have no data on the amplification properties of Davross—or Purified Davross."
Queen Sylpha held her gaze for a long moment, then nodded slightly. "Very well. You may study one."
At her signal, one of the royal guards stepped forward.