A Smile He Didn't Notice
Victor felt a faint irritation lingering in his chest from Albion's stupidity, like the aftertaste of something bitter. Yet beneath it—unexpectedly—there was something warmer.
He had controlled himself.
For once, the urge hadn't swallowed him whole.
There had been no need for Videl's soft voice reminding him to hold back. No one had to grip his sleeve or call his name to anchor him. He had stood there, faced insult and arrogance, and ended it cleanly—without blood.
That alone made something in him strangely light.
A rare feeling.
And so, with the academy behind him, Victor walked toward the Adventurers Guild with an ease in his steps that he himself barely registered. The streets of Fantom City bustled as usual—vendors shouting, horses clattering against cobblestone, the scent of roasted meat and metal mingling in the air—but for once, the noise did not grate against him.
Lane walked beside him, watching quietly.
She noticed it immediately.
