Hearing the faint reprimand in Mevis's tone, Sherry snorted coldly and crossed her arms.
"You're one to talk—don't call me by that name within the academy. If Lord Shadow discovers that all the resources spent embedding me here to assist you were wasted, the blame will fall on you."
As the former Empress, Sherry would not tolerate being lectured by anyone except Lord Shadow himself. She was fully aware of the risks of using the All-Seeing Eye on the academy grounds, but the cursed entrance exam had left her no other choice.
Mevis, as impassive as ever, kept her expression neutral and her voice calm. "Understood, Sherry."
A smirk tugged at Sherry's lips as she leaned in closer. "You know, the All-Seeing Eye is truly a remarkable tool. When we infiltrated Sky City to gather intelligence on Leon, it was this very spell that secured the data, wasn't it?"
Mevis didn't look up, offering only a simple, "Yes."
"Thanks to your precise intelligence, Lord Shadow was able to draft such a comprehensive plan to deal with Leon. It's a true shame we couldn't finish him off in the Flaming Valley," Sherry remarked, her tone almost conversational.
She added with a sly, knowing smile, "Some say Lord Shadow isn't yet ready for a direct confrontation with Leon, but there are always... other methods to break a man."
Finally, Mevis lifted her gaze from the papers in her hand. "So, what is the precise task Lord Shadow has assigned you to assist me with?"
"Leon's youngest daughter just completed her entrance exam. That means all four of his precious daughters are now students at St. Heath's Academy." Sherry's lips curled into an ominous, predatory grin. "Lord Shadow's idea is elegantly simple: find an opportunity and eliminate those little dragonlings—"
Before she could finish, Mevis cut her off, her voice sharp despite its low volume. "Wasn't the original directive solely surveillance? Why has the objective changed?"
Her tone was flat, but a subtle, dangerous sharpness flashed in her eyes.
Sherry froze for a fraction of a second, realizing her slip. She quickly masked it with a recovered composure. "Plans evolve, Mevis. The most effective strategy is to strike at the heart. Even the strongest fortress has its weakness, and when that weakness is shattered, the entire structure collapses."
She let out a low, dark chuckle. "I can't wait to see the great Leon Cosmodeous utterly broken. What a magnificent sight that will be."
Mevis didn't respond. Instead, she lowered her gaze to the small piece of cake still in her hand—the one Muen had given her. She had barely taken a single bite.
"Oh, what's this? Food? Perfect, I'm starving," Sherry said abruptly, snatching the cake from Mevis's grasp without a second thought. She took a large, dismissive bite.
"Hey—" Mevis's hand twitched, her lips parting as if to speak, but she stopped herself.
"Not bad, actually. Quite tasty," Sherry commented idly, brushing the crumbs from her fingers.
"Anyway, the next phase focuses on Noah and her sisters. You've been working diligently to gain Noah's trust all this time, correct?"
Mevis hesitated, her eyes shifting downward for a moment. "Yes."
"Good. Keep up the excellent work. I'll be sure to mention your dedication to Lord Shadow," Sherry said, turning on her heel to leave. As she reached the training ground's exit, she paused, glancing back over her shoulder. "The sooner you complete your task, the sooner you'll receive the Black Dragon Scale. Don't forget what's at stake, Mevis."
Mevis's hand clenched, crumpling the fabric of her sleeve. Her voice was barely a whisper. "Yes. I understand."
Without another word, Sherry left, the door swinging shut behind her and blocking out the stream of sunlight that had briefly warmed the room.
Standing alone in the suddenly dim corner, Mevis felt the lingering warmth vanish, replaced by an icy chill that seeped deep into her bones.
"Why... does it feel like something precious was just stolen from me?"
For a fleeting, overwhelming moment, she wanted to sink into the shadows and weep.
"Mevis? What are you doing over here?"
The cheerful voice shattered her dark thoughts. Peeking around the corner was Muen, her lively face framed by bouncing hair, her bright blue eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Ah... it's nothing," Mevis replied, her tone slightly flustered as she straightened up.
"Okay! My sister says she's ready for the next part of her training!" Muen announced with an infectious smile.
"Alright. Let's go back," Mevis said, forcing her posture to relax.
Muen skipped forward and grabbed Mevis's hand. The size difference was comical, forcing Mevis to stoop slightly as the little dragon girl led her back toward the training area.
Looking down at the small, warm hand trustingly clasped in her own, Mevis murmured under her breath, "Such warm hands... just like that fleeting moment of sunlight."
.
.
.
A week after the entrance exam, Leon's family returned to the academy for the formal admission ceremony.
Muse had already received her acceptance letter, but her specific ranking would only be officially announced during the ceremony. Unfortunately, the event clashed with Noah and Muen's class schedules, so the whole family couldn't attend together.
Still, Muse was buzzing with excitement to see her results—the promise of a new instrument from her father if she scored higher than Hefei was a powerful motivator.
"Before the ceremony begins, parents and students may check the leaderboard at the rear of the hall to see the rankings," a teacher announced.
With Muse perched happily on his shoulders, Leon made his way through the crowd with Rossweise at his side.
Muse leaned forward eagerly, her eyes scanning the list from the top down. Her name wasn't immediately at the very top, which was a good sign—it meant she had scored well.
"There it is! Muse!" Rossweise pointed, a note of pride in her voice.
Her name was listed in second place.
"Second place! That's wonderful, Muse!" Leon praised, giving her leg a gentle squeeze.
Muse nodded, but her usual bright smile was absent.
"What's wrong, sweetheart? Second place is a fantastic achievement," Rossweise asked gently.
Unlike many traditional dragon families, Leon and Rossweise never pressured their daughters to be number one. To them, the effort and knowledge gained were far more important than the final ranking.
But Muse's disappointment wasn't about failing to get first place. She pointed a small finger at the top of the leaderboard, her lip jutting out in a pout.
"Hefei got first place. She beat me by one point."
Leon glanced up. Sure enough, Constantine's fiery daughter held the top spot.
"Oh, so the little flame princess edged you out this time," Leon remarked with a soft chuckle. "I'll admit, Constantine might be a bit clumsy as a father, but he knows how to drill in the fundamentals."
Muse's lip trembled slightly. "Does this mean... I don't get the new instrument...?"
Leon gently pinched her cheek, his smile warm and reassuring. "Don't you worry about that. I already have it ready for you."
Muse's eyes widened, the sparkle returning instantly. "Really, Daddy?"
"Of course. It was always meant to be a surprise for our celebration tonight."
"Yay!" Muse squealed with delight. Then, a thoughtful look crossed her face. "But... you said I had to beat Hefei to get it."
Rossweise chimed in, a knowing smirk on her lips. "Your dad just needed an excuse to give you the gift, Muse. He's a big softie."
"Hey! Don't give away all my secrets," Leon grumbled in mock annoyance.
The truth was, Leon had purchased the instrument days before Muse even sat for the exam. The "condition" was only ever a playful motivator; he would have given it to her regardless of the result.
"Thank you, Daddy! Thank you, Mommy! I love you!" Muse cried, showering both her parents' cheeks with happy kisses.
As the family shared this tender moment, a familiar voice interrupted them.
"Second place, Muse. Not bad at all," said Hefei, who had approached with her father, Constantine.
Muse stuck out her tongue playfully. "Next time, I'll beat you, Hefei!"
Hefei smirked, crossing her arms. "I'll be waiting."
Meanwhile, Constantine couldn't resist a jab at Leon. "Well, Leon! It seems I was correct. Hefei has outperformed Muse!"
Surprisingly, Leon remained perfectly calm, simply nodding. "My congratulations."
"Don't pretend you aren't irritated. I know this must sting," Constantine pressed, a triumphant glint in his eye.
Leon merely offered a mysterious smile. "On the contrary, I should be thanking you."
"Thanking me? For what?" Constantine asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.
Leon didn't answer. Instead, he shared a brief, knowing glance with Rossweise. The couple exchanged a look of pure, mischievous amusement.
It wasn't until the announcer's voice boomed through the hall that Constantine understood the reason for their strange reaction.
"Let us now welcome the family of this year's top-scoring student, the Crimson Flame Dragon King and his daughter Hefei, to the stage to deliver a speech!"