Sita almost rolled her eyes at Ray's little monologue.
"Anyway... when are you planning to go there?"
Ray turned around and leaned casually against the wall, folding his arms across his chest.
"Magic Academy..." he murmured.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"The competition for the academy slots won't begin for another three months."
"Three months?" Sita asked, raising an eyebrow. "Is that really enough time for you to reach the level you need?"
Ray nodded without hesitation.
"That's... more than enough."
The Dafelix Family, along with the city's two other major families, each possessed two guaranteed admission slots to one of the region's most prestigious Magic Academies.
Every year, those slots became the center of fierce competition within each family. In most cases, only members of the younger generation were eligible to compete.
And this year's candidates within the Dafelix Family were already well known.
Jordi, Joanna, Ray, and the Second Madam's youngest son.
Beyond them, there were also several promising candidates from branch families, along with a handful of outside representatives selected through talent evaluations.
Naturally...
Until recently, the overwhelming favorites had always been Jordi and Joanna. They were talented, awakened, and backed by impressive achievements.
Everything pointed toward their eventual victory.
Although...
That perception might change rather quickly if news of tonight's incident ever spread throughout the family.
After all, Ray had just sent both of them flying.
As for the Second Madam's youngest son...
Ray recalled the information he had gathered.
The boy was an unusual case. Much like the original Ray, he wasn't considered an Awakener. Weak. Overlooked. Frequently bullied by his own siblings and relatives.
What made it even worse was that his own mother seemed to have little interest in him. A disgrace.
At least, that was how the rest of the family saw him.
Ray shook his head lightly, a thoughtful look appearing in his eyes.
"Still... who knows? Unexpected variables can appear anywhere."
Sometimes the most insignificant person ended up becoming the greatest surprise. He wouldn't dismiss anyone carelessly.
Not yet.
Regardless, his objective remained clear.
At the very least, he needed to reach Tier Four within the next three months.
For users of Pure Energy—whether Mages or Warriors—power was generally classified from Tier Zero to Tier Nine.
Tier Zero was the awakening stage, where an individual could sense energy and perform only the most basic magical activities.
Tiers One through Four were considered the true foundation of cultivation. At these levels, practitioners actively used mana, progressing from basic techniques to advanced spells and combat abilities.
Beyond that, everything changed.
Tier Five and above marked the beginning of a transformation.
People who reached that realm had already taken their first step toward immortality, becoming beings fundamentally different from ordinary humans.
At present, Jordi and Joanna were both at Tier One.
As for Ray, he was still only at Mid-Tier Zero. Qualifying for academy admission was already well within reach, but the risk of his Dark Energy leaking was still far too high.
That was why he needed to reach at least Tier Four. He needed control. Absolute control.
Sita snorted.
"Can you even reach that level in three months?" she asked.
"From what I know, even reaching Tier One requires a ridiculous amount of time and resources. Every tier after that only gets harder."
Ray understood her concern.
"Normally, yes."
He leaned against the window frame.
"But Tiers One through Four are ultimately stages focused on mana accumulation. The more energy you absorb and refine, the faster you progress."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"The Dafelix Family alone probably doesn't possess enough resources to push someone that far in such a short time."
"But the family's connections?"
His smile widened slightly.
"Those are a different story."
Sita remained silent.
Ray continued calmly.
"Besides, I've spent years mastering Dark Energy. My understanding of energy manipulation, circulation, refinement, and control is already far beyond that of an ordinary beginner."
"All I need is a few adjustments to apply that knowledge to mana."
The confidence in his voice never wavered.
"Most people start from scratch. I don't. So everything will proceed exactly as planned."
He shook his head lightly.
"Three months... that's more than enough."
Sita stared at him for a moment before finally sighing and nodding. She couldn't tell whether the man was a genius... or simply insane.
---
Several minutes later, the atmosphere inside the room had become considerably more relaxed.
A variety of snacks had somehow appeared across the small table.
Sita was currently sprawled lazily across a nearby sofa, helping herself to nearly half of them.
Ray didn't even bother commenting anymore.
Eventually, Sita suddenly spoke.
"You know... there's still something I don't understand."
Ray glanced at her.
"Hmph?"
Sita shrugged.
"Why didn't you just kill him? ...the real Ray."
"If you'd done that from the beginning, everything would've been much simpler."
She tossed a cookie into her mouth.
"You could've taken his identity completely."
Ray silently extended his hand, clearly asking for something.
"You know the reason," he said.
Sita immediately understood.
"Hmph... that."
"I get it. But if it's only for that, I could've just helped preserve it properly. It would've been a little less fresh, sure, but still usable."
She opened a spatial pouch and casually tossed several items toward him.
Two large bottles filled with dark-red liquid. A sealed plastic bag containing strands of hair. And another holding fingerprint samples.
Ray caught everything calmly. A faint smile appeared on his face.
"As long as everything remains secure and under control, that's enough."
The fingerprint sample dissolved into his palm.
The remaining materials disappeared into his storage ring.
"Besides, even if killing him would've been the more certain option..." he continued calmly, "...you know what kind of person I am."
Sita immediately rolled her eyes.
"Hmph. Here we go."
She crossed her arms.
"You and your moral principles."
Her voice dripped with sarcasm.
"Because you're trying to become a hero, not some merciless killer."
Then she paused.
A strange expression appeared on her face.
"...even though you eventually killed more people than I ever did."
Ray turned toward the window once more.
A faint smirk appeared on his lips.
"My killings?"
He chuckled lightly.
"That's called righteous killing."
Then he glanced back at her.
"Unlike you. You practically had one of your own admirers die for your sake."
"Tch."
Sita clicked her tongue in annoyance.
Ray simply tossed a bottle of drink toward her.
"Let's drop the subject," he said.
The bottle spun through the air before Sita casually caught it.
"Just make sure he stays alive. And gradually bring me fresh blood samples and anything else I might need from him."
Sita glanced at him briefly. Then she opened the bottle and took a sip.
"Yeah, yeah. I know."
At that point, she clearly had no interest in continuing the conversation.
Instead, she leaned deeper into the sofa and resumed enjoying the comforts of a wealthy family's residence while silently pretending Ray no longer existed.
---
Before long, their meeting finally reached its end.
Eventually, Sita stood up.
"Whatever."
She stretched lazily before glancing around the luxurious room.
"I thought hanging around here would be more fun. Turns out it's kind of weird."
She pointed at Ray.
"Next time, buy me food outside instead."
Then she casually waved a hand.
"Alright then. I'm leaving."
A magic circle slowly began forming beneath her feet.
But before she could activate it—
A sudden surge of energy wrapped around her body.
"Huh?"
WOOSH!
Sita was abruptly pulled forward and straight into Ray's arms.
"...!"
Her body froze instantly.
Ray's arms wrapped firmly around her waist.
Their faces ended up dangerously close. Close enough to feel each other's breath. Close enough to notice every tiny detail.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Sita's heart suddenly began racing.
Ray looked down at her calmly.
"Hm?"
A faint smirk appeared on his face.
"Weren't you about to leave?"
His gaze remained fixed on her.
"Then why did you suddenly jump into my arms?"
His voice sounded suspiciously innocent.
"Do you want something from me?"
Sita's mind instantly short-circuited.
"W-Wait! What?!"
Her heartbeat nearly exploded.
Only then did reality catch up to her.
She immediately broke free and jumped backward.
"Stop messing with me!"
Her face reddened slightly.
"Ugh... Y-You're trying to seduce me! That's disgusting!"
Ray raised an eyebrow.
"Seduce you?"
He looked genuinely puzzled.
"You're the succubus here. Wouldn't it make more sense if you were the one seducing me?"
Sita opened her mouth. Then closed it. Then opened it again.
"..."
Annoyingly, that actually made sense. Which somehow made her even angrier.
"Argh! No!"
She pointed at him accusingly.
"I'm not like that! Even if I am a succubus, I still wouldn't seduce someone like you! You're creepy."
"Don't act like I'm the culprit when you're the one doing it!"
Ray laughed before shaking his head.
"Sorry... sorry. I was just joking."
He then tossed a folded piece of paper and the ring he had received from Khalil toward Sita.
"Help me look into these."
Sita caught both items effortlessly.
She unfolded the paper first, quickly scanning its contents before shifting her attention toward the ring.
The strange silver patterns across its dark surface immediately caught her interest.
"What exactly is this?" she asked.
"I don't know much myself yet," Ray replied.
Then he briefly explained everything Khalil had told him—the shadow organization, the authority represented by the ring, and the legacy his mother had left behind.
He also explained why he wasn't planning to get involved immediately.
"I want information first," Ray said calmly.
"Before I make a move, I need to know what kind of organization I'm dealing with. Who's still loyal. Who left. And who's become a problem."
Sita nodded slowly.
Now that was interesting.
A hidden organization built by the First Madam herself? That sounded far more entertaining than babysitting an unconscious noble brat.
"Fine then."
She stored both the ring and the paper away.
"I'll look into it."
Then she immediately stood up.
Unlike before, she had no intention of lingering any longer. Getting dragged into Ray's arms once was already enough.
"I'm leaving."
The teleportation circle beneath her feet activated instantly.
WOOSSHH—
The magic circle disappeared.
Along with Sita.
Silence returned to the room once more.
---
Ray stood alone before the massive window. A faint smile still lingered on his lips.
Then slowly... it disappeared.
His eyes turned cold. The moonlight reflected faintly within them.
Three months. Academy. The shadow organization. The inheritance. The Dafelix Family. Everything was already beginning to move.
And soon...
Many people would discover that the useless young master they once mocked no longer existed.
Ring. Ring. Ring.
The sudden sound broke the silence.
Ray frowned slightly.
His phone vibrated atop the table. Someone was calling.
Ray picked it up. Then looked at the screen.
The moment he saw the caller's name—
His expression became somewhat uncomfortable.
"..."
For several seconds, he simply stared at it.
Not because he was afraid. But because dealing with this person was...
Complicated.