Xanthine's Point of View
"Xhan, have you noticed something weird with Nee-san and Vleid?" Xander asked, his tone laced with curiosity as he leaned against the doorframe.
"I thought it was just me, but yeah," I replied, folding my arms. "They're unusually quiet. Normally, Nee-san would be in full-on nagger mode, ranting about one thing or another, and Vleid would just be his usual nonchalant self, which would only fuel her frustration. But now... it's different."
Xander gave me a questioning look. "Really weird! I guess something happened. Lexie was kind of lethargic yesterday, but today, she seems like she has her head on straight again."
"Yeah, I suppose that's better than seeing her quiet and out of sorts," I said with a small smile. "She needed to clear her head. We've got a lot to deal with today, and it's good that she's starting to look more like herself."
Xander nodded in agreement, though I could tell he still had some reservations. He cared deeply for Alexa, just like I did.
Shifting the topic, I decided to distract myself with something a bit more enjoyable. "Sebby! What's for breakfast?" I asked, my stomach growling at the thought of a hearty meal. Last night, I had been craving some lechon kawali—crispy deep-fried pork belly with fried rice, a sunny side up egg, and a side of tangy tomato and spicy vinegar. Just thinking about it made my mouth water.
With a snap of his fingers, Sebby appeared as if summoned by the very thought. "It's exactly what you requested last night, young lady," he replied with a playful smile.
I grinned in delight as a maid wheeled in a cart laden with the delicious breakfast I had been dreaming about. The golden-brown lechon kawali glistened, perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The aroma of the fried rice and the richness of the egg made my stomach growl even louder.
"Thank you, Sebby!" I said, eagerly grabbing a fork and digging in.
As I took my first bite, I glanced over at Xander, who was already reaching for his plate. Despite the odd tension between Nee-san and Vleid, I could feel the usual warmth of our mornings returning. And for now, that was enough to ease the weight of everything we were facing.
After breakfast, we went straight to training—but this time, we were splitting up.
Xander and Leo headed to the seaside for their meditation and elemental control exercises. The sea was the perfect place for them to hone their abilities, allowing them to focus on the ebb and flow of their energy without distractions. I knew Xander enjoyed working in solitude, and Leo, despite his gruff demeanor, was a patient teacher when it came to things like this.
As for me, I had an entirely different lesson to tackle.
Perched on a shaded balcony, I sat cross-legged with a stack of ancient-looking texts in front of me. Dianne, my ever-so-dramatic owl companion, fluffed her feathers and gave me an expectant look.
"Focus, little strategist," she cooed, tapping the parchment with her talon. "This is a language of power. You must learn to read between the lines, not just the words themselves."
I sighed, rolling my eyes slightly before leaning in. The script was an intricate blend of what looked like Old English and Latin, but thankfully, some words held a familiar structure. It wasn't as impossible as I initially thought, though it still made my brain hurt.
"Alright, alright, I get it," I muttered, tracing my fingers along the parchment as I tried to decipher the meaning.
"Do you? Because you've been staring at that same sentence for five minutes." Dianne huffed, clearly unimpressed.
I groaned. "Give me a break! This stuff isn't exactly light reading."
She let out an exasperated sigh but didn't press me further. Instead, she fluttered onto my shoulder and peered at the text alongside me.
"Take your time, but don't expect the world to wait for you to catch up," she finally said, her voice softer this time.
I smirked. "Noted, Professor Dianne."
She scoffed but didn't deny the title.
As I struggled with the ancient text, Dianne suddenly stepped back, her form shifting in a graceful swirl of light. In an instant, she was no longer the feathery, diva-like owl I was used to—standing before me instead was a red-haired young woman, her vibrant locks cascading down her back in loose waves.
She looked no older than a teenager, with sharp golden eyes that held an air of wisdom far beyond her youthful appearance. Her posture was poised, arms crossed as she raised a delicate brow at me.
"Honestly, Xanthine, watching you struggle is painful," she sighed, tapping her foot impatiently.
I blinked, momentarily stunned. Sure, I had seen her transform before, but it still caught me off guard every time.
"Dianne… you know, you could've at least warned me before pulling that dramatic transformation."
She smirked. "Where's the fun in that?"
I rolled my eyes but quickly refocused on the text in front of me. "Fine, since you're in your human form now, why don't you be useful and help me break this down?"
Dianne leaned over, her sharp gaze scanning the parchment. "You're overcomplicating it. This script is old, yes, but not impossible. The sentence structure follows a pattern—see this part here?" She pointed at a string of words. "This is a formal address, often used in royal decrees. If you recognize these markers, translating the rest becomes easier."
I hummed, now seeing the logic behind it. "So basically… instead of translating word for word, I need to recognize the sentence structure first?"
"Exactly. You're not as hopeless as I thought," she teased, ruffling my hair before straightening up.
I swatted her hand away, suppressing a smirk. "You better not forget who named you, Dianne."
She scoffed, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "And I wear the name well, don't I?"
Shaking my head, I turned back to the text, feeling a renewed determination. With Dianne's guidance, maybe mastering this language wasn't going to be as frustrating as I thought.
[Time: Between 1:00 AM – 3:00 AM]
The house was quiet, veiled in that strange stillness only deep night brings. Outside, the wind stirred the pine trees, carrying with it the faint trace of magic that hadn't fully settled since our last training session.
My desk was a mess—layers of parchment, notes scribbled in multiple scripts, and Dianne's translation of the ancient Astralisian rune set.
I barely noticed the chill or the stiffness in my shoulders. Dianne's notes were too fascinating, too layered. I had really started to dive deeper into the connections between the current and historical facts—the commonalities of Astralis and Earth. Somehow, they were modern and ancient at the same time. Astralis relied on magic far more than science, while Earth lacked the capacity to harness magic, leading instead to machines and the discovery of matter.
The low buzz of my tablet pulled me from the text.
[Incoming Notice: Villa Gate – Access Request Logged @ 2:14 AM]
I blinked. An access request? At this hour?
My finger hovered over the screen as the ID confirmations came through.
Jay. Angelica. Stephanie. Jackelyn.
No prior warning. No alerts from the main house. No pings from Alexa.
I glanced across the room. Dianne was curled up on the fainting couch, eyes open—she was never truly asleep when I worked late.
She spoke without looking. "Unexpected company."
"I didn't authorize their visit," I said, mostly to myself.
"Nor did anyone else. But they were cleared through the gate."
I stood, brushing parchment dust from my lap. My pulse wasn't fast, but my instincts were on edge. This was truly unexpected.
"Stay here," I told her. "Keep the channel with Sebby open—and please call Nee-san. She might know why they're here."
"Got it. I already have it on standby."
[Outside – Villa Entrance]
The cool air bit at my skin as I stepped onto the front veranda. The dim exterior lights cast long shadows across the stone path. The guards were already stepping back as the four approached—Jay in front, visibly tense.
They looked tired, road-worn. Angelica's ponytail was loose. Stephanie's jacket was creased. Jackelyn was practically shivering.
"Well," I said coolly, folding my arms. "You know it's two in the morning."
Jay gave a dry chuckle. "This is the only place we knew would be secure. And Dad said phones didn't feel safe."
Angelica nodded, serious. "We wouldn't have come if it wasn't something unusual at the university."
Stephanie shifted uncomfortably. "We think someone's been talking. Not any of us… but maybe someone who overheard. Something's circulating."
My tone sharpened. "Circulating how?"
"Campus talk," Angelica replied. "Some students asking weird questions—stuff about the Black family business. Professors being oddly curious."
Jay stepped in. "We don't know how much is out there. But if there's smoke, there's definitely fire. That's what our classmates are saying—especially that dumb head Devin. Could be careless talk. Could be intentional."
Jackelyn finally spoke, her voice low. "I'm sure it's not one of us. But… maybe one of the new recruits? Or someone close?"
I narrowed my eyes. That was the part that stung. Even among the trusted, cracks could form.
"You didn't message anyone else?"
They all shook their heads.
"Good. Alexa and Vleid are still out. Dianne is reaching out to them now. Xander and Leo are out cold from training. And our parents are—elsewhere. That means I'm the only one who knows you're here."
Angelica glanced at Jay. "Exactly what we wanted."
I stepped aside. "Inside. Now. No one else can know you're here. Not tonight. Not until I figure out if this visit makes things worse or better."
Sebby let us into Dad's office, the heavy doors closing quietly behind us. Dianne had already reached Nee-san and Vleid by the time we sat down.
"Give us twenty minutes," she said calmly, not even looking up from her device.
I turned to Uncle Sebby, who stood near the entrance in his pajamas, looking a little bewildered but composed.
"Uncle Sebby, can you help us arrange a room for the guests?" I asked politely.
He nodded wordlessly and called over a few guards to assist. The maids were already deep in their sleep by now.
"For now, guys, get settled," I told the group. "Nee-san is on her way back."
[Twenty Minutes Later]
The door burst open just as the clock hit the mark. Mud clung to their boots, and their jackets were damp from sweat. They definitely hadn't planned to return this early.
Alexa was the first to speak, irritated and breathless.
"We were expecting to see the sunrise while trekking the mountains. This better be worth it, Xhan."
Vleid raised an eyebrow behind her but said nothing, his expression unreadable.
"Nee-san, your friends are here," I said, straightening. "You didn't tell them anything… right?"
"Huh? What the heck are they doing here?" she blinked at the group before adding, "Of course not. I promised Dad."
She paused, realization dawning. "Ah… we filed for leave at the university, right? Maybe they pieced things together. Pretty sharp, huh."
I gave her a flat look. "Jay led them here. Uncle Harvey also told them not to use their phones. Maybe—just maybe—Mom and Dad should've given us a heads-up."
Alexa groaned. "Urrghhh. That would've been nice."
Jackelyn flopped down onto one of the couches, pulling her legs up. "Well, you guys disappeared and didn't tell us anything. So we asked around if maybe you filed a leave, or like—dropped out or something."
Jay, annoyingly refreshed so early in the morning, grinned as he kicked his shoes off near the rug. "Devin, that dumb jerk, started running his mouth about your family being involved in illegal activities. Like—his audacity, please." He tossed his hands in the air. "Kiera held back for as long as she could, but then bam! Flat punch to the face. Guy went down like a sack of tofu. She's suspended for two weeks now." He cackled, absolutely unbothered.
"I mean, it was satisfying," Angelica admitted. "But yeah. In summary—someone's stirring up rumors."
She leaned forward, elbows on her knees. "Brent's helping Uncle now, down in the underground. Cleaning up messes. My parents are backing the shipping line investigation—trying to figure out the Shiro Clan's movement."
I froze for a half-second. My expression didn't change, but my pulse spiked.
The Shiro?
Only higher-ups knew about them.
I glanced at her sharply. "Who told you about Shiro, cous?" My tone was light, but my raised brows betrayed my curiosity.
Stephanie's brow creased. "Wait—Shiro's? I thought they'd gone quiet."
Angelica shrugged. "I overheard Brent on a conference call with Uncle last night. They didn't say much, but it sounded serious. I connected the dots."
I sighed quietly in relief. So they didn't know about the chase. That meant Uncle Harvey kept things sealed. Good.
Jay stretched dramatically. "And now we're here. So… anything we need to worry about, or should we just enjoy our secret mountain spa hideout?"
Alexa shot him a look, arms crossed. "As long as you don't wander around outside the villa, we're fine. No socials. We don't want anyone tracing you. If someone messages you, use a VPN—say you're on a retreat, somewhere remote and boring."
"Ugh. Fine," Jay huffed dramatically, already fishing out his tablet. "This better count as extra credit for dangerous living or something."
"Gahhd, I'am so tired to deal with this" I mentally roared.
Across the room, Vleid remained silent, arms folded, eyes scanning each of them one by one like he was dissecting a puzzle. His usual watchfulness had dialed up.
Dianne sat at the edge of the fireplace, one leg tucked under the other, her posture elegant but alert. She looked calm—but I knew better. Her mind was probably running through five different scenarios on how to keep this many non-magical guests safe while avoiding exposure.
I rubbed my temples, already feeling the long night ahead.