Nomen smiled, barely perceptibly, but it was genuine. The smile of a man who had just made another move on a board that few could even see.
"When can I start?"
Corin spoke with deliberate confidence. No hesitation. No uncertainty. Only resolve. He knew the rules here: you were only taken seriously if you left no room for doubt.
Nomen leaned back, studying him for a moment, then nodded, satisfied.
"You've struck the right note. I like that."
He opened a small black drawer and tossed Corin a gleaming badge, a simple silver pin bearing the mark of the committee.
"Then welcome to the Disciplinary Committee, Corin."
Rising to his feet, Nomen's voice quickened with momentum.
"You may begin today. We're... not exactly overstaffed. The Academy doesn't view us as a mere formality. Most students think of us as some sort of security force. Which means we operate with the minimum, but the most capable minimum."
Corin glanced at the badge in his hand. It looked harmless, almost modest. But he knew, in the Academy halls, it represented influence. Weight. Watchful eyes.
"You'll be briefed on your exact duties later this week. Serena and Cearen will guide you."
Cearen gave Corin a sleepy, near-absent look, as if only half-listening.
"I'll show you how to be invisibly visible," he muttered.
Nomen's voice sharpened again.
"But more important than protocol is presence. A reputation isn't just a shadow, Corin. It's a tool. A weapon. If people know you're there, that's often enough to prevent a conflict before it begins."
He paused, walking back to the desk where a list awaited. Picking it up, he scanned it briefly, then met Corin's gaze.
"Some things are mandatory. Events where you'll represent the committee."
He raised a finger for each:
"Official events, balls, galas, formal ceremonies."
"The Blood Tournament, you won't just observe. You'll likely participate."
"Certain council meetings, the student council has a say; we must respect that."
"And naturally... your formal introduction to the council."
Corin raised a brow.
"All at once, huh?"
Nomen smiled.
"You said you were ready to start."
Then, almost casually:
"Get ready. Your first day begins... now."
And as Corin stood, he felt the badge's weight settle on his chest, not heavy, but not light enough to forget.
Later, in the dormitory...
Cearen, as usual, lounged half-reclined on his bed, arms behind his head. Corin was busy unpacking. The room was unusually quiet, at least for a space shared by two members of the Disciplinary Committee. But Corin had come to appreciate that silence.
"So, how's your week shaping up?"
Cearen's voice held the air of someone who already knew the answer but asked out of sheer boredom.
Corin shot him a glance.
"I want to learn more about Blessings. I understand the basics, but... it's not enough if I want to grow."
He lowered himself onto the bed's edge.
"I also need more combat practice. And etiquette. I'll be dealing with nobles now. I need to be ready for that."
Cearen yawned.
"Well, welcome to life between a blade and a dessert fork. But at least you will look good doing it"
He nodded at the item Corin had just pulled from his pocket.
A pair of glasses. Elegant, understated. Black glass framed in filigree matte gold. The design was modern, almost too modern for Academy standards and yet it perfectly echoed everything Corin now associated with Viviana. The golden chain that would wrap behind his ear wasn't just decorative. It was signature. Pure Virelli.
"Are those..."
"From my sponsor," Corin said softly, letting the glasses slide through his fingers, almost reverently.
"I think she wants me to be more inconspicuous. Or more conspicuous. Depending on how you look at it."
He put them on. Instantly, his vision adapted, crystal clear despite the dark tint. Of course. His Blessing pierced the veil without effort.
Cearen sat up slightly, squinting at him.
"You look like someone about to either kill... or sign a contract to kill someone. Suits you."
Corin smirked.
"I suppose that's the point."
He leaned back, the glasses still perched on his nose as though they'd always belonged there.
"This will be exhausting. More training, more etiquette, more responsibility..."
"...more traps," Cearen cut in. But hey, if you fall, at least you'll fall in style."
Corin nodded.
"And if I fall... I'll drag a few others down with me."
Silence. Then Cearen laughed quietly.
"Now you sound like someone on the committee."
Morning dawned in soft, golden hues over the Academy's spires. Corin closed his eyes for a moment, letting the cool air wash over him as he stepped onto the stone stairs of the main building. At his side, like a walking shadow offering commentary without ever quite engaging, strolled Cearen, his gait as loose and unreadable as ever.
"Getting sentimental? Or is that your new stride?"
Cearen's dry voice sliced through the morning calm.
Corin smirked, glancing sideways.
"Just focused."
"Focused on what? Ambition? Prestige? Or figuring out who gets to ogle you today when you pass by?"
Corin didn't answer. Because Cearen wasn't entirely wrong.
The shift from last week was unmistakable, nearly tangible. Walking through the western wing felt like stepping into a stage. Heads turned. Conversations paused. Whispers resumed. Especially among the upperclassmen, who were sharp enough to recognize the shift in standing.
The girls' gazes hadn't changed, curious, almost hungry, brushing over him like silk. But the young men... their looks held something different now. No longer dismissal or disinterest. Now: suspicion. Wariness. And in some cases, clear resentment.
Cearen looked thoroughly amused.
"You know, I've seen how fast reputations can shift. But you? You're almost as quick as I am."
He grinned as they climbed the stairs toward the Assembly Hall.
Corin paused briefly, his eyes catching the stained glass of a high window. Morning light painted shadows across the marble walls.
"Tell me, Cearen… why are you really on the committee?"
Cearen didn't flinch. But he didn't answer right away either.
"Because I know what it feels like when no one stands up for you."
Then, with his usual lopsided smile:
"And because the perks were too good to waste all those glowing recommendations I got."
Corin let out a quiet laugh.
They approached a corridor few walked without rank or invitation. This was where the Student Council resided, the true heart of the Academy's inner order. Today, Corin would be introduced.
The council room door was closed. Serena stood in front of it, perfect as ever, hands folded behind her back.
"Corin," she greeted him with a slight nod. "Welcome back. Today's meeting will be... interesting. You've made an impression. Most of the members are already expecting you."
"And the ones who aren't?" Corin asked, voice low.
"They will be soon," Serena replied with a small smile. "You've come this far. The rest is just... politics."
Corin adjusted his jacket. "My favorite part."
Behind him, Cearen grinned.
"Really? I'd have sworn you were more the type to make subtle threats while smiling politely."
Corin didn't respond. Instead, he stepped forward, into the room, into the spotlight, into the next part of the game, with the calm of someone who knew:
Every look from now on would mean something different.