I sat there for a while, fingers still clenched around the monocle.
Puppet magic. Mana sealing. And now forced silence?
It wasn't just excessive—it was overkill.
Whoever was controlling Cassandra wasn't just making sure she followed orders. They were shutting her down completely, layer by layer, as if afraid she might slip up and reveal something.
Which meant she had something to reveal.
I exhaled, putting the monocle back into my pocket. Thinking too hard about this wouldn't help. If I wanted answers, I had to approach this carefully.
For now, I had to act normal.
With that in mind, I got up, stretched, and grabbed my coat. Noctis Ardentis Academy wasn't the kind of place where staying late alone was a good idea—especially when you were someone like me.
As I stepped out into the hall, the cold evening air greeted me. Most of the students had already cleared out, save for a few lingering in the corridors.
I didn't pay them much attention.
