[Location: Camelot – Gaius' Tower, Morning]
Rain hadn't stopped since dawn. It drummed against the windows of the tower, dull and constant — the kind of rhythm that made you think too much.
I sat at the table, sketching geometric diagrams in charcoal. Not magical circles — at least, not in this world's sense — but energy models.
Quantum Mana modulation curves, mapped through circular runes.
Gaius leaned over my shoulder. "You've been at that since sunrise."
"It helps me think," I said, turning the page before he could read the notations. "If I don't externalize the data, I lose track of what's stable."
"Stable?" he repeated. "That's not a word people often use when discussing magic."
"Maybe they should."
He chuckled softly, going back to sorting herbs. But I caught the faint look of curiosity. He still didn't know how much of what I said was theory — and how much was lived experience.
Merlin walked in, hair still dripping from the rain. "You'd think for all your knowledge, you'd invent something to stop getting wet."
"Working on it," I muttered.
He grinned and tossed me an apple. "Don't take too long. Morgana's been asking for you."
That stopped me. "Me?"
"Apparently she wants help cataloging some old relics she found in the lower vaults. She said you had a 'steady hand and sharp eyes.'"
Gaius and I exchanged a look.
That wasn't a compliment — it was reconnaissance.
[Location: Castle Vaults – Afternoon]
The vaults were colder than the rest of Camelot — stone, damp, and filled with relics that hummed faintly with old magic. Morgana stood beside a table, examining a cracked crystal orb with faint runes.
When she looked up, her smile was polite. "Ren. Thank you for coming."
"Of course, My Lady." I bowed slightly, keeping my tone even.
"I need a second opinion," she said. "Some of these artifacts react strangely when handled. I thought your… analytical mind might help."
She gestured to a small chest of runic fragments. Most were inert, but one gave off faint mana traces. Weak — but unstable.
Perfect for testing me.
I put on gloves and leaned closer. "Residual mana," I said. "Probably used as a focus conduit centuries ago. It's harmless."
Her eyes flicked up. "You can sense mana?"
Too late to take it back. "Gaius taught me how to identify residue fields," I said quickly. "It's part of cataloging safety."
She held my gaze a moment, then smiled again — the kind that didn't reach her eyes.
"I see. You're quite observant, Ren."
"Occupational hazard."
When I placed the fragment back into the box, she touched a pendant on her wrist. A subtle hum pulsed through the air — faint, but distinct. A detection charm.
Testing my reaction.
I didn't move. My Quantum Mask held steady — no visible flux, no spike in mana output. Just passive resonance.
She dismissed me shortly after, but the faint curve of her lips told me what I needed to know — she wasn't convinced either way.
[Location: Gaius' Tower – Night]
"I told you to be careful," Gaius said after I told him about the vault.
"I was," I replied. "She ran a detection charm. My field didn't register."
"She's clever," Merlin said from the corner. "If she suspects anything, she won't stop there."
"I know." I leaned back, staring at the flickering candlelight. "That's why I'm changing the mask."
Merlin frowned. "Changing it how?"
"Right now it's reactive. It suppresses my Quantum Mana output but doesn't disguise it. If someone's scanning for specific frequencies, they'll still see an absence — and that absence can be just as telling."
Gaius nodded slowly. "You intend to mimic ambient mana instead."
"Exactly. Instead of hiding, I'll blend."
Merlin looked impressed. "You can do that?"
"Not yet," I said. "But I will."
I turned back to the diagrams, modifying field equations, adjusting flow ratios, calculating harmonics against known mana baselines.
The Quantum Mask wasn't just concealment anymore — it was camouflage.
And if Morgana wanted to test me again, she'd find nothing but air.
[Location: Castle Battlements – Later That Night]
Rain had stopped. The moon broke through the clouds, painting the courtyard silver. I stood at the edge of the battlements, focusing, fine-tuning the mask.
The mana around Camelot had a distinct texture — raw, but disciplined. Old, like stone worn by centuries of use.
I matched my frequency to it, letting the world's mana field wrap around mine. The shift was subtle, but I felt it — the hum of invisibility through resonance, quiet and complete.
A faint voice broke the silence.
"Still awake, Ren?"
Merlin. Of course.
"Just calibrating," I said.
He joined me, resting his arms on the ledge. "You work harder than anyone I've ever met."
"Hard work keeps me alive."
He looked at me for a long time, then nodded. "For what it's worth… whatever secret you're keeping, I don't think it's something bad."
I didn't answer. Because the truth was — I didn't know that myself yet.
[End of Chapter 16]