Everything had happened so quickly that Alteraz barely had time to process it. Lying on the floor of her room, she stared at the ceiling as the events of the past two days replayed in her mind.
After Zhangxuan agreed to the wager, Elshmir produced a blood contract. The parchment carried an oppressive aura as if it had been soaked in spiritual essence for a long time, designed specifically to ensure that neither party could escape its binding terms.
As Zhangxuan read through the contract, Alteraz stood beside him, pretending to examine it as well. The script was far too unfamiliar for her to understand, so she claimed her vision was blurry from exhaustion and asked him to read it aloud. Believing her, Zhangxuan complied. As he spoke, one particular sentence caught her attention and etched itself into her mind.
"The loser has to obey anything the winner wants."
Alteraz immediately realized that Elshmir was certain he would win. Otherwise, he would never have included such outrageous terms in a blood contract. She believed she would lose as well, but what infuriated her was the way he looked down on her, as if she was beneath his notice.
Fueled by anger, she snatched the contract from Zhangxuan and signed it without hesitation. A faint red glow spread across the parchment as the contract took effect.
Then she shoved it back toward Elshmir's face and declared coldly, "I will make sure your disciple never learns magic again."
The hall fell silent. Even Zhangxuan was stunned. No one expected a girl who had been helpless moments ago to openly threaten a celestial mage.
Afterward, they left and headed to the Grandmaster's estate. The grounds were enormous, filled with gardens, stone pathways, and luxurious buildings. At its center stood the Grandmaster's dwelling, towering over everything else like a castle. Alteraz couldn't help but be impressed.
Her excitement vanished the moment they arrived.
Several high elders were waiting for them, furious. They immediately began scolding Zhangxuan, blaming him for everything. Despite his injuries, he could only endure their accusations.
Already irritated, Alteraz finally snapped. She fired back at the elders, calling them insensitive and unfair. Her words only made the atmosphere more tense.
Before the argument could escalate further, Ansley stepped in and dragged her out into a nearby corridor. Alteraz resisted, still seething with anger, frustrated that she had been pulled away before she could finish speaking her mind. While being taken away, she deliberately provoked Ansley, hoping to push him into reacting.
"You call yourself his right-hand man, and you are just going to leave him there!?"
Ansley looked annoyed but chose not to argue. The way he looked at her made it obvious he thought she was someone who spoke far more than she understood. Feeling insulted, Alteraz opened her mouth to retort, but before she could say a word, Ansley cast a silencing spell. Her voice vanished instantly, leaving her fuming in silence.
"My lady, let us just call it a day," he said with a teasing tone.
Ansley brought her to a room prepared for her arrival while Atila followed behind them. Before leaving Ansley gave an order.
"You, do not let her go out."
Atila nodded and the door closed. The lock clicked into place, and Alteraz was confined once again.
Outside the room, Atila stood guard while Alteraz continued shouting and struggling from within. Her angry voice echoed through the hallway for several minutes before finally fading away, leaving behind an uneasy silence.
As the memory faded, reality settled in once more. Countless what ifs and regret weighed on her chest, refusing to ease. It was not just regret for her actions, but also for how easily she let her emotions lead her into situations she could not control.
She was so absorbed in her own worries that she failed to notice the door opening. Seeing Alteraz lying on the floor, staring at the ceiling like she had given up on life, made Atila laugh softly.
The sound instantly caught Alteraz's attention. She sat up and turned toward the door, her gaze landing on Atila. Only then did she notice that she was carrying something in her hands.
"This is your training suit, my lady," Atila said calmly.
"Training? What training?" Alteraz asked.
As soon as she said it, realization struck her. Her eyes narrowed slightly as suspicion and curiosity appeared in her expression.
"When does it start?" she asked quickly.
"Right now, my lady," Atila replied with a gentle smile.
"R-right now, you mean the now, now?" Alteraz repeated as if she was waiting for the joke to end. Before she could protest further Atila already pulled her toward the closet to help her change.
Soon, Alteraz was fully prepared. Her hair was tied into a high bun, and she wore a fitted training outfit designed for movement and combat. A reinforced leather jumper covered it, offering protection without restricting mobility. Knee-high boots completed the ensemble, giving her a stable and ready stance.
Atila then handed her a belt specially made to secure Accsentia at her side. Once she was ready, he wished her luck and escorted her outside.
They soon arrived at a large training field behind the Grandmaster's residence. The grounds were spacious, bordered by trimmed grass and stone markers. Several trainees were already present, practicing under the watchful eye of an instructor whose commands echoed across the field.
The moment Alteraz stepped onto the field, she felt dozens of eyes turn toward her. Some quickly looked away, while others watched with undisguised hostility. Frowning, she leaned closer to Atila.
"Who are they?" she asked.
"They are the Grandmaster's other followers, my lady... in other words, they are your sect siblings."
That was all Alteraz needed to hear. They were disciples of the same master, yet many of them likely wished they were the ones in her position.
At first, she considered trying to get along with them. Then she remembered that most of their resentment stemmed from the original owner's reputation. Since they had already decided to dislike her, she saw little reason to be accommodating.
Her gaze swept across the group, daring them to react. Several immediately took the bait. Some frowned, while others glared at her outright. A few had to be restrained by their companions, who urged them to ignore her.
Amid the crowd, however, one person remained different. He looked at her briefly with an unreadable expression before quietly blending back into the crowd.
Alteraz was still enjoying the reactions she was causing when a voice came from behind her.
"You really do love making trouble, don't you?"
She turned around and saw Ansley, taking in a proper look at him for the first time. He had short red hair, sharp eyes, and a scar running across his neck that resembled a tattoo more than an old wound. There was no denying he was handsome, though in her opinion, he still could not compare to Zhangxuan.
Like her, he wore a training outfit. The only noticeable difference was the color scheme. His outfit had red accents, while hers had blue. Before she could continue examining him, Atila's voice sounded from behind.
"Master Ansley, I have brought her here."
Ansley gave a small nod and Atila left.
"A-Atila, where are you going?" Alteraz called out instinctively, taking a step forward after being left without any explanation. Before she could go any farther, Ansley caught her wrist.
"What?"
"What do you mean, what? Isn't it obvious?" Ansley said lazily as Alteraz pulled her hand free.
"With you? Oh, come on… where is my master? Isn't he supposed to be the one training me?"
"He is busy, so I was sent instead," Ansley replied. "Besides, you are still not qualified to be trained by him."
From their interactions since arriving, Alteraz had realized that she and Ansley were similar in one respect. Both had sharp tongues and irritating personalities, so arguing with him would get her nowhere. With that in mind, she let the matter drop and asked what they would be doing instead.
"It's simple. Attack me with whatever you've got. I'll stand here and won't do anything. Let's see what you can do."
"Huh? W-wait, are you sure about that?"
"Yes."
A sly smile tugged at Alteraz's lips as a wicked idea took shape in her mind.
"Then don't blame me afterward."