Chapter 43: Draven survives Calenne, but Taliah is waiting.

Chapter 43: Chapter 43: Draven survives Calenne, but Taliah is waiting.

Calenne examined Draven once more.

"There’s something else."

"What?"

"Your mana isn’t responding the way I expected."

Draven looked up.

"What do you mean?"

"I can recognize Elfin’s presence, but I can’t examine it completely."

Draven smiled slightly.

"What a shame."

Calenne narrowed her eyes.

"You find that funny?"

"A little."

Draven knew in part why that was happening, and it was because the Sovereign’s Eyes were still incomplete.

In the videogame, that information was revealed much later.

Calenne had a twin sister, and both of them had received a portion of the same gift, something that, according to the records, should never have occurred.

Each of them possessed a part of the original ability, which limited their powers.

Calenne could interfere with the mana of living beings and could also recognize certain characteristics of others’ mana.

But she still couldn’t use all the capabilities that would correspond to a complete bearer, much less control an energy as superior to her own as Elfin’s.

Draven was internally grateful for that limitation.

’If she had both powers, this conversation would be a lot more dangerous.’

Calenne continued.

"Anyway, I don’t need to examine it completely to know what you’re carrying inside."

Draven sighed.

"I already got it."

"Good."

"Now I have a question."

"Go ahead."

Draven held her gaze.

"Are you going to attack me?"

Calenne answered without hesitation.

"No."

Draven remained silent.

"Just like that?"

"I prefer it that way."

"Why?"

"You’re not my priority."

Draven observed her expression, and Calenne seemed completely sincere, at least regarding that answer.

"You have no intention of stopping me."

"No, as long as you don’t interfere with my affairs."

Draven felt a certain unease.

’Her affairs.’

He knew that way of speaking, and he knew what Calenne would do in the future.

"What affairs?"

Calenne smiled slightly.

"That information isn’t for you to know."

Draven didn’t insist, since there was no point, and Calenne continued.

"Besides, I have no interest in starting a fight against Elfin’s vessel."

Draven looked at her eyes again.

"Out of fear?"

"Of course not."

"Then..."

"Out of common sense."

Calenne stepped a little closer.

"My Sovereign’s Eyes allow me to impose my will over other people’s mana."

"I know."

Calenne raised an eyebrow slightly, and Draven noticed his response.

"I mean, I figured."

Calenne observed him for a few seconds and then continued.

"But there’s a condition."

Draven waited.

"I can’t directly control the mana of someone whose reserves are considerably superior to mine."

"I understand."

"And Elfin possesses a quantity of mana that far exceeds my current capabilities."

Draven nodded, and that explained why he was still conscious.

Calenne could act on his own mana, but Elfin’s presence complicated any attempt to impose complete control over him.

Besides, Draven had learned to maintain a stable circulation through years of training.

It wasn’t enough to defeat her, but it was enough to partially resist a manipulation that wasn’t directed with her full strength.

Calenne observed his left arm.

"You’re also still recovering from a wound."

Draven was a little surprised, but knowing about her eyes already, the surprise faded.

’Well, it was obvious she’d notice.’

"It’s better."

"That doesn’t mean you should use it in combat."

Draven raised an eyebrow.

"Now you’re giving medical advice too."

"I just want to avoid you causing a massacre."

"How thoughtful."

Calenne ignored the sarcasm.

"Listen, Draven Dunvyr."

Her voice grew more serious.

"I’m not going to attack you."

Draven stayed silent.

"I’m also not going to tell anyone that you’re the new vessel."

"That would be convenient."

"But you have to keep our meeting a secret."

Draven looked at her.

"Why?"

"Because I don’t want other people starting to ask questions."

"About you?"

"About both of us."

Draven understood.

If someone found out that Calenne had spoken privately with Elfin’s vessel, they might suspect she was plotting something, and that wouldn’t suit her either.

Calenne continued.

"You won’t tell your companions what you saw."

Draven nodded slowly.

"I understand."

"You won’t talk about my eyes."

"Fine."

"And you also won’t mention this conversation."

Draven crossed his arms.

"You’re asking for quite a bit."

Calenne smiled.

"I’m offering exactly the same."

Draven thought for a few seconds.

He didn’t trust her even a little, but confronting her right then would be absurd, and besides, he needed to keep Elfin hidden.

"Alright."

Calenne observed him.

"I’m glad you’re being reasonable."

Draven sighed.

"I just hope you keep your end too."

"I will."

Calenne lifted the glasses she was holding in one hand and, before putting them on, spoke again.

"One last thing."

Draven looked at her.

"What?"

"If you decide to reveal anything about me..."

Her golden eyes shone once more.

"I’ll know."

Draven felt a slight discomfort and wasn’t sure how much she could actually do with that ability.

But he knew Calenne wasn’t someone who made threats without having considered her options.

"I’ll keep that in mind."

"Excellent."

Calenne put on her glasses, so the golden glow disappeared, her expression changed, and her shoulders dropped slightly.

She held her hands in front of her body again, and when she spoke, her voice was soft once more.

"Th-Then... I hope you have a good day."

Draven observed her.

’What a disgustingly good performance.’

Calenne tilted her head slightly, then began walking and passed by Selmar without giving him another glance.

Draven followed her with his eyes until she disappeared around a corner, so he was finally alone.

He looked at the floor toward Selmar, Mirholt, and Tervin, who were still unconscious.

Draven approached Selmar, crouched slightly, checked that he was breathing, then observed the other two, and they were also alive.

"Well."

Draven stood up.

"I suppose someone will find them."

He looked toward the hallway Calenne had left through and had too many questions, but at least he had confirmed something important.

Lansholt Calenne still possessed the Sovereign’s Eyes and was still just as dangerous as he remembered.

Draven started walking, and while he returned to his classroom, he tried to organize what he had just discovered.

Calenne knew that Elfin was inside him, and that was already a problem, but there was something much more important.

’You’re not my priority.’

Draven recalled those words.

The future villainess had other matters to resolve, and Sam knew what they were.

’The Lansholt clan.’

In the videogame, that incident occurred a few weeks after the start of classes.

It was one of the first important events that directly involved Calenne.

A series of internal problems within her family ended up causing consequences that affected several characters, and the situation was also related to her twin sister.

Draven remembered that the event could develop in different ways depending on the player’s decisions.

In some routes, Calenne disappeared for several days, while in others, certain members of the clan ended up dead, and in one of the variants, Calenne herself began acting as an enemy.

Draven looked outside through a window.

’So that hasn’t changed.’

That explained her answer.

Calenne was busy, since she had personal objectives, and Elfin, for now, wasn’t part of them.

Draven sighed.

’Great.’

He had gone looking for information and now he had to worry about an incident that would happen in a few weeks.

’Yeah, definitely not a waste of time.’

At least he was still alive and no one else seemed to have witnessed what happened.

Draven continued walking and then remembered something.

’Taliah.’

He stopped.

’Ah, right.’

He had left the classroom without telling her, leaving her surrounded by students, and she had probably already noticed.

Draven closed his eyes.

’Well, I just have to explain it.’

Taliah was reasonable, sometimes.

’Maybe I should buy her the dessert she likes times three.’

He thought for a few seconds.

’Better four.’

He kept walking.

’No, better five.’

He arrived at the hallway corresponding to his classroom, whose door was open, so Draven entered and immediately noticed something strange.

Everyone was far too quiet while remaining seated in their places, and some looked directly at him, but others averted their gaze when they saw him come in.

Draven stopped.

’What’s going on?’

He looked toward the teacher’s desk and it was empty, then he looked toward the windows, but there was nothing strange.

Finally, he observed his seat and it was also empty, so Draven frowned slightly.

’Why is everyone so nervous?’

A female student who was near the door observed him with clear concern, so Draven smiled.

"Did something happen?"

The girl didn’t answer and simply looked behind him, at which Draven felt a familiar presence, very familiar.

A female voice spoke from behind his back.

"Draven."

He slowly closed his eyes.

’Not again.’

He turned his head, seeing that Taliah was standing there with her arms crossed, and she wasn’t smiling at all.

"Hey, Taliah."

She observed him.

"Did you have fun?"

Draven swallowed.

"Depends on how you look at it."

Taliah narrowed her eyes.

"I see."

Draven looked around and now understood why everyone was so quiet.

Taliah had been waiting for him, and apparently she hadn’t had a particularly pleasant conversation with those nearby.

Draven looked at her again.

"Before you say anything..."

"Yes?"

"I can explain."

Taliah smiled, and Draven felt that that smile was worse than her previous expression.

"Perfect."

She took a step toward him.

"Then start."

Draven remained silent, thinking about all the things that had happened during the break, and he couldn’t tell her almost anything.

’This is going to be complicated.’

Taliah was still waiting, so Draven glanced briefly toward the exit and then looked at her again.

’Maybe five desserts won’t be enough.’

Taliah raised an eyebrow.

"Draven."

He smiled with difficulty.

’Yeah, I’m definitely going to need to buy her a lot more.’