To top it off, the silence of the single room was deafening, an emptiness that, on any other day, Raziel would have been grateful for.
A luxury most novices couldn't afford.
But today, with the words "They know you remember" burned into his brain, the silence wasn't peace.
The [Acute Paranoia] grated on his nerves.
Every creak of the old building's wood sounded like stealthy footsteps in the hall.
The whistling of the wind against the window felt like it was loaded with threats.
He felt watched, hunted.
"Damn it, shut up..." he whispered to the shadows, even though no one else was there.
He ran a trembling hand through his hair, feeling the cold sweat that beaded on his forehead.
His heart was pounding a frantic rhythm that only he could hear.
'Calm down, breathe and think.'
But calm was a luxury he no longer had.
The plan to fly under the radar, to be the model novice, had gone to hell.
They had found him out.
Or worse, they were suspicious enough to keep an eye on him, and in the Holy Zhalyrian Church, scrutiny was the first step toward the pyre of purification.
'I have to get out of here. NOW.'
While his mind was in complete chaos, a knock on the door made him jump.
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK.
Raziel froze, holding his breath.
'Are they here already? This fast?'
"Raz, are you there?" Lucian's voice cut through the wood, loaded with worry.
"We saw you leave the library like a demon was chasing you. Are you okay, man?"
A sigh of relief almost knocked him over. It was just Lucian.
But the relief lasted a second, because suspicion came right after.
'What if they were using him?'
"Raziel, I'm coming in!" Lucian warned.
The door opened and his friend walked in, frowning.
His gaze went from the half-packed bag on the bed, to the note on the floor, and finally to Raziel's panicked face.
"What the hell...? Are you going somewhere?" he asked.
Raziel didn't know what to say, and then, everything went to hell.
Behind Lucian, in the hallway, more figures appeared.
The first one he saw was Father Marius, whose face was a stone mask.
But he wasn't the one imposing that almost physical pressure in the air.
It was the two who came with him.
One was a young man, with dark hair and noble features, clad in gleaming Paladin armor that seemed to absorb the torchlight.
Raziel felt a knot in his stomach as he recognized him from his other life: Prince Aerion, heir to the throne of Phaedra.
At his side, Paladin Odessa was watching him with her cold, emerald eyes.
Her presence was like an ice dagger pointed at his neck.
Lucian turned and his casual expression vanished, replaced by genuine surprise.
"Aerion? Odessa? What are you doing here?"
The prince gave Lucian a slight nod.
"Lucian, it's been a while."
But Odessa's gaze was fixed on Raziel, and there was nothing friendly in it.
"We're here on official business, novices," she said, her voice cutting through the tense air of the room. "Business that concerns you directly, Raziel Celeste."
Raziel felt the floor disappear from under his feet. "Me, Paladin? I don't know what you're talking about..."
"Save the theatrics," Odessa cut him off. "The incident at the Royal Monastery, the Inquisition has questions and they believe your actions warrant a deeper investigation."
Lucian took a step forward, getting in between them.
"With all due respect, Odessa, that's ridiculous. Raziel is just a novice and we were in the wrong place at the wrong time, that's all."
Prince Aerion didn't answer.
His eyes sized Raziel up from head to toe, with an intensity that made him feel naked.
"The Inquisition has witnesses," Odessa continued, relentless. "They're considering expelling you both from St. Celeste. Or taking... other measures."
'Expulsion.'
The word echoed in Raziel's mind.
His whole plan was falling apart.
Playing dumb wasn't working anymore, because they were cornering him.
He had to change tactics.
He had to give them something, a crumb of the truth so unbelievable it would force them to doubt.
It was a suicidal gamble, a play that could either save him or send him straight to the pyre.
He stared at Prince Aerion, the man he had seen die in another life and he took a breath.
"I come from the future, Your Highness."
The silence that fell over the room was absolute.
Lucian stared at him with his mouth open, as if his friend had grown a second head. Father Marius's expression was one of pure horror.
Only Aerion remained calm.
"Are you an Oracle, novice?" he asked, his voice calm but with an edge of steel.
Raziel shook his head. "No, sir. I am not an Oracle."
"Then explain yourself," Odessa ordered.
Raziel opened his mouth, ready to unleash the biggest and most dangerous lie of his life.
[SYSTEM ALERT]
[Secret Skill Activated: Regressor's Gambit (Level 1)]
[Effect: By revealing a partial truth about your nature, you have a 35% chance to induce [Doubt] in the target and force a dialogue instead of an immediate confrontation.]
[Cost: Permanently increases the scrutiny of all major factions upon you.]
'May the Goddess forgive me... or help me.'
"Since you allow it, Your Highness, the future I saw," he began, his voice low but firm, making sure every word hit hard.
"is one where Phaedra burns in a civil war and where the Church fractures from corruption."
He paused, locking his eyes on the prince's.
"It's a future," he added, dropping the final bomb, "that you, Your Highness, never get to rule and all because…"