Elizabeth walked forward confidently, never changing pace or glancing back. Her posture was straight, her steps precise and calculated, and on her face rested the familiar smile of a self-assured lady. Only one person in the crowd could see that the smile wasn’t genuine, and the steps were a touch too tense. Astarion knew her too well.

  As she approached, the count gracefully took two glasses of champagne from the table, handing one to Emma.

  "May I, my lady? I’d love to hear a few childhood stories about Alex."

  Emma accepted the glass with a light smile.

  "If you’re ready to listen for a while—I’d be happy to share."

  Astarion gently took her arm and, leading her slowly to the side, began speaking quietly. Emma looked at him in surprise for a moment, but the count gave only a subtle glance to direct her attention. She turned her head—and understood immediately. A short, nearly imperceptible smile touched her lips.

  "I hope this conversation helps them both," she said softly.

  "The rest is up to them," Astarion replied.

  Gabriel remained in place. He watched his wife and the count for a moment, then turned his gaze back to the empty glass in his hand. Just as he reached for another, a familiar voice spoke behind him.

  "Hey… it’s been a while."

  Gabriel turned—and there stood Elizabeth. Her smile was calm, but he instantly noticed the trembling of her hands behind her back. She was trying to hide her tension, but in vain—for him, she was still the sister he remembered from their youth.

  "Yes, it has," he replied gently. "It’s been some time."

  He leaned over to the table, took two glasses of wine, and offered one to his sister.

  "Straight from the demonic capital. The one you always loved."

  "Oh, you still remember," Elizabeth replied, taking a small sip. "The taste is just perfect."

  Gabriel tasted his as well and made a slight face.

  "Too sweet. Tastes more like juice than wine."

  Elizabeth laughed softly.

  "Years go by, and you still haven’t gotten used to good alcohol."

  "I never said it was bad," he replied. "Just not for me."

  "No matter how many drinks you try, ale will always be your favorite, won’t it?"

  "Can’t argue with that," Gabriel smiled.

  They fell silent for a few moments, watching the guests celebrate, laugh, and converse. The evening felt truly warm.

  Elizabeth was about to speak when her brother beat her to it.

  "I’m glad you came. Alex’s grown attached to you. He brings you up often—without even realizing it. And thank you for watching over him at the Academy. Emma and I really worried how he’d manage there—whether he’d find friends, whether he’d adjust..."

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  "It’s my duty," Elizabeth said. "I’m his aunt. But I can ease your mind—he’s found real friends. Loyal ones. The kind who’ll stand by him when he needs it."

  "I’m glad to hear it," Gabriel raised his glass. "To my son."

  "To my nephew," Elizabeth echoed.

  Their glasses clinked with a clear, ringing sound.

  "And now..." Gabriel smiled faintly. "What’s new in your life?"

  Elizabeth glanced at him in surprise.

  "What?" her brother frowned. "Am I not allowed to ask how my own sister is doing?"

  "It's just... I didn't expect you to start a conversation so easily," she said quietly, lowering her gaze for a moment.

  At that moment, she felt a hand rest gently on her shoulder. Looking up, she saw Gabriel's warm, genuine smile—the one she hadn’t seen since childhood.

  "I never held a grudge against you, Eliz," he said. "I just never had the courage to be the first to reach out. And thank you... for doing it instead of me."

  Elizabeth narrowed her eyes playfully.

  "Are you sure it was about courage? Maybe just stubbornness?"

  "And since when are those mutually exclusive?" Gabriel laughed.

  And for the first time in a long, far too long time, they both laughed together.

  Alex stood in front of an ordinary, unremarkable wooden door. Taking a breath, he knocked gently.

  A calm voice responded from inside:

  "Come in."

  Alex opened the door and stepped into Heinrich's office.

  The room was spacious, though quite plain for someone holding such a high position in the Central Guild. Grey walls, wooden flooring, several cabinets filled with documents, a large desk covered in papers, and a small sofa in the corner. The atmosphere was purely professional, devoid of any unnecessary decor.

  Heinrich himself sat behind the desk, flipping through some papers. As Alex entered, the man immediately set them aside and looked up with mild surprise.

  "Alex? I didn’t think you’d stop by so soon."

  Heinrich rose to his feet and gestured to the empty chair beside the desk.

  "Take a seat. What would you like to drink?"

  "Just water, thank you," Alex replied calmly, sitting down.

  Heinrich leaned over to a drawer, pulled out two clean glasses and a pitcher of cool water. He poured the drink into both glasses and set the pitcher aside.

  The hint of surprise on Alex's face did not go unnoticed.

  "I drink a lot while working," Heinrich said with a slight smile. "Water, I mean," he added with a grin.

  Alex chuckled as well, took a glass, and drank a few sips.

  "Thanks."

  Heinrich drank a little, set his glass on the table, and intertwined his fingers before speaking evenly.

  "If you came because you're worried I might tell someone what we saw in that dungeon, you can relax." He paused briefly and then raised his hands, ironically mimicking quotation marks: "After the 'rescue of an entire family and elimination of a high-ranking monster,' as expected, I got promoted, received a bonus, and now hear more praise than ever. Besides, you and Eliria saved my life."

  "So..." Alex smiled genuinely for the first time in the conversation, "...you’ll keep your word?"

  "Without a doubt. I owe you."

  Alex stared at him silently for a few seconds before giving a slight nod. "Good to hear. But I have one more question."

  Heinrich's expression turned serious. His gaze sharpened.

  "Who evaluated that dungeon?"

  Heinrich sighed heavily. "I had a feeling you’d ask that. My group did the assessment. And I assure you: at the time of evaluation, it was a legitimate Class C. No anomalies, no strange mana."

  Alex leaned slightly forward, his voice firmer. "Then how did an S-rank monster get there? And why didn’t anyone sense it?"

  "Most likely, it wasn’t there during the assessment," Heinrich replied. "My group includes several highly sensitive mages. They would've detected S-rank energy even if it had been hiding. But when and how it appeared—that’s still unclear. In my entire career, this is the first time something like this has happened."

  "And now?"

  "I’ll personally lead the investigation. If I uncover anything—you’ll be the first to know."

  Alex finally relaxed and leaned back in his chair. "All right. I’ll be waiting for updates."

  He stood up and offered his hand. Heinrich immediately rose and shook it.

  "Thank you for trusting me," he said sincerely.

  "Hope I didn’t make a mistake," Alex replied with a faint smile.

  As their hands parted, Heinrich suddenly added:

  "By the way, my superior wants to meet with you. Not now—sometime next month. He’s currently out of town."

  Alex raised an eyebrow slightly. "And what does he want?"

  "No idea. And I promise—I haven’t told him anything about you."

  Alex smiled mysteriously. "Even better. I’ve been waiting to meet him for a while."

  Heinrich’s eyes narrowed. "Wait... what do you mean 'waiting'?"

  "The one who needed to understand—will understand," Alex said with a shrug.

  He turned toward the door, ready to leave. At the threshold, he glanced back—Heinrich was still standing, watching him.

  "See you soon, Heinrich," Alex said, and closed the door behind him with a soft click.