The marble corridors of the Eryndor estate felt quieter after the storm of battle. Servants guided Kairo and Igron through a winding hall until they reached a modest guest chamber. The flicker of lanternlight met them, casting long shadows across the walls.
Waiting inside was a woman in plain attire, posture straight, hands folded neatly in front of her. She bowed low the moment they entered.
"Welcome back, young masters," she said softly. Her voice carried no warmth, only the careful tone of someone trained never to offend. "The mistress instructed that you be made aware of what awaits you in the Upper Realm academy. I will be your debriefer."
Igron raised an eyebrow, smirking as he dropped lazily into a chair. "So the queen herself can't be bothered, and we get a maid instead. Comforting."
The woman didn't react. Her eyes flicked briefly toward Kairo, who remained standing, crimson gaze fixed on her in unreadable silence.
"If you are to survive," she began, "you must understand that the academy is no school in the sense you imagine. It is a proving ground. Every heir, every clan, treats it as their battlefield. Lessons are secondary. What truly matters is reputation, strength, and the alliances you forge."
She paced slowly, her steps measured, as if reciting a practiced speech. "The four great clans dominate all else: the Ignis, the Ice, the Earth, and the Wind. Together, they control half the academy's hierarchy. The rest are lesser families, clawing for scraps or attaching themselves as vassals."
Igron tilted his head, a lazy grin tugging at his lips. "And where do strays like us fit into this little ladder?"
The maid's eyes hardened for a fraction of a second. "At the bottom. Always at the bottom. Outsiders are tested, provoked, humiliated. If you do not break, you are forced into someone's shadow. If you resist…" Her voice trailed, and for the first time, there was the faintest bitterness beneath the polish. "…Then they will seek to end you."
Kairo's gaze narrowed slightly, but he said nothing.
She continued, tone smooth again. "Official rules exist. Duels may only be fought under witness. Fatal injuries are… discouraged. But know this — a single humiliation outweighs ten victories. The nobles remember weakness far longer than they remember strength."
She clasped her hands again, bowing her head briefly. "The Ignis heir, Sukai, will not forgive the stain of today. He will challenge you. The other clans will circle like wolves, eager to measure you. It will not stop with one fight. Each step you take will be watched."
Igron leaned back, smirking. "Sounds like fun."
The maid's lips twitched — not amusement, but something closer to pity. "Fun? No. This is their war, disguised as schooling. You may think you are opponents. In truth, you are training to be weapons."
The lanternlight caught her face for a moment, showing lines of weariness unbecoming of a servant. Then it was gone, hidden under perfect composure. She bowed once more, this time lower than before.
"My warning is simple: in the academy, it is not the strongest who survive. It is those who know when to bare their teeth… and when to bow their heads."
Her eyes flicked once more to Kairo, crimson against the shadows. He gave no reply, only silence that felt heavier than words.
With that, the maid stepped aside, fading back into the quiet of the estate, leaving the two boys with her words echoing like a curse.