Night settled over the Holy Capital with the faint shimmer of mana-lamps glowing along the distant streets. The Cathedral had finally gone silent — no more footsteps, no more tense debates, no more whispers about doctrine. Just stillness.
Noel exhaled slowly as he fastened the last buckle of his light armor.
Not battle gear — he didn't want to alarm anyone — but enough to protect him if something went wrong.
Noir hopped onto the desk beside him, tail curled neatly around her paws.
'You look like you're going to war,' she said, not unkindly.
"I'm hoping I'm not," Noel replied quietly. "But… better safe than sorry."
The room was dim, lit only by a single candle. Shadows danced along the walls with every small movement, and the silence felt thicker than usual.
Noel checked his items inside his Dimensional Pouch:
– A pair of minor healing potions
– A mana-restoration vial
– A small good luck charm Charlotte gave him "just in case"
