A knock came at exactly eleven.
Not loud. Not soft.
Precise.
Kael opened his eyes instantly.
He had been awake long before the knock.
He always was.
But routines mattered.
Perception mattered more.
He stood up, walked to the door, and opened it.
A maid stood outside, posture straight, voice respectful.
"The commander has called for you."
Kael gave a small nod and stepped out.
Moments later, he entered the main hall.
Miller was already there, seated calmly, going through a tablet. He didn't look up immediately.
"You're late," he said.
Kael didn't react.
"I thought spies were alert," Miller continued, finally glancing at him. "Light sleepers. Early risers."
A test.
Casual tone.
Measured intent.
Kael answered without hesitation.
"They are."
A small pause.
"But not me."
Miller's gaze sharpened slightly.
Kael continued, voice calm, almost indifferent.
"In Elfra, I was under deep cover. Military environment. High observation."
He walked a step closer, stopping at a respectful distance.
"If I behaved like a trained operative, I would have been exposed."
Another pause.
"So I slept more. Ate normally. Acted like someone with nothing to hide."
His tone didn't change.
"It kept me alive."
Miller watched him for a moment.
Then—
a faint nod.
"Fair."
He returned his attention to the tablet.
But the test was noted.
Passed.
At least for now.
Footsteps echoed lightly from the upper floor.
Slow. Unsteady.
Kael's gaze shifted slightly.
A girl walked down the stairs, still half-asleep, hair slightly messy, expression annoyed by the existence of morning itself.
She stopped midway, noticing him.
"Who's that?" she asked, voice low, uninterested.
Miller didn't hesitate.
"Kael Verin. He'll be staying here."
A brief pause.
"My daughter."
That was the introduction.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
Her eyes rested on Kael for a second longer.
Not curiosity.
Assessment.
Then she turned away.
"Whatever," she muttered, walking past them without another glance.
Disinterest.
Or something close to it.
Kael didn't react.
But he observed.
Everything.
Miller watched his daughter leave, then shifted his attention back to Kael.
"Get used to her," he said calmly. "She doesn't adjust to people."
Kael gave a slight nod.
"I don't expect her to."
That answer earned him a brief look.
Then—
Miller changed the topic.
"You've seen your room."
"Yes."
"And the rest of the house?"
"Not fully."
Miller leaned back slightly.
"Good."
A pause.
Kael spoke again, this time more direct.
"I checked the room."
Miller didn't respond.
"I expected surveillance," Kael continued. "Hidden cameras. Audio systems."
His gaze moved slightly, scanning the space again.
"I didn't find any."
Now Miller looked at him.
Properly.
"And?" he asked.
Kael's voice remained calm.
"I don't see any in this house either."
Silence followed.
A long one.
Miller held his gaze.
Then—
he spoke.
"There are none."
No hesitation.
No explanation.
Just a statement.
Kael didn't react outwardly.
But internally—
that answer mattered.
Because in a place like this…
Either there truly were no cameras—
Or the ones that existed were beyond normal detection.
Miller watched him for a second longer, as if waiting for a reaction.
Kael gave none.
Good.
That meant he understood.
Not everything needed to be confirmed.
Some things were better left… uncertain.
Miller stood up.
"Eat. Settle in."
Then, as he walked past Kael—
"Your first assignment won't take long."
A slight pause.
"So enjoy the quiet while you can."
Kael remained still as Miller left the hall.
Silence returned.
But it wasn't empty.
This house—
This place—
It wasn't just a residence.
It was a controlled environment.
And now—
He was inside it.
Not as a guest.
Not as a soldier.
But as something far more dangerous.
A man who was already planning how to take control of it.
Phase two—
was moving faster than expected.