- Noel POV -

The room was silent.

Charlotte stood still, hands gently pressed together, eyes lowered. Her long pink hair shimmered faintly under the glow that was beginning to form around her body.

Noel, Nicolas, Noir, Elena, and Elyra watched closely.

For Elena and Elyra, it was the first time seeing Charlotte like this — not as the cheerful girl who dual-wielded daggers and smiled at everything, but as the Saint of Valor.

Light slowly began to radiate from her.

Charlotte whispered a prayer, soft and steady.

The glow extended outward, trailing like threads of gold and white, until it reached the unconscious dwarf girl seated before her.

The Blessing wrapped around Tyria like a gentle current, seeping into her skin. Her body relaxed immediately. The tension in her shoulders, the slight twitch in her hands — all of it faded.

Then, the mark on her neck began to dissolve.

The black sigil twisted once, resisting, but the Blessing's power pressed deeper. Bit by bit, the darkness faded away until nothing remained but clean, bare skin.

It was over.

Charlotte exhaled slowly — and wavered.

Her knees buckled slightly.

Noel moved in an instant, catching her before she could fall.

"Thank you," she whispered, looking up at him with her usual soft smile.

But that smile didn't fool him.

He could see it in her eyes — the toll it had taken. The pain. The fatigue. The life it had drained.

That single Blessing had stolen time from her. Maybe minutes, maybe more. But time… was priceless.

"You alright?" he asked quietly.

"I'm fine," Charlotte said, still smiling. "Just need to rest a little."

Elena and Elyra stepped forward immediately. They helped her over to one of the empty chairs and gently eased her down.

Noel stood there in silence.

'If I think about it now… there are still at least thirty-eight students marked. And half of them have already lost, but they still have the mark.' His jaw tightened. 'If we depend on Charlotte's Blessings alone… she'll suffer. She might lose a lot of lifespan this if it goes on too long.' His thoughts spiraled deeper. 'And the workers in the factory… there were hundreds. They might bear the same mark. If that's true—'

"Noel."

The voice cut through his mind.

He didn't react.

"Noel," Nicolas repeated, louder.

Noel blinked, pulling himself back into the moment.

Tyria stirred.

Her eyes fluttered open, blinking against the soft light of the room. She looked confused, her head turning slowly as she scanned her surroundings.

"Where… am I?" she murmured.

"You're safe," Noel said gently.

She turned toward his voice, eyes still clouded by disorientation.

Nicolas stepped forward, calm and composed. "Welcome back, Tyria. I saw your match — you fought well, despite being forced to use a power enhancer. Torwan's playing dirty, but you don't have to worry anymore."

He paused for just a second, then added, "I'd like to ask you a few questions, if you're up for it. No pressure. You're safe here."

Tyria's breath caught for a moment. Her eyes welled slightly, and she nodded.

"I… I see. You're the Headmaster of the Imperial Academy of Valor. Alright… I'll tell you everything I know."

Nicolas offered a slight nod. "First, how do you feel?"

Tyria sat up a bit straighter, pressing a hand to her chest. "Better… Like I can breathe again. Like… I have my own thoughts. My own will. What did you do to me?"

Noel smiled faintly. "Well… keep it between us, but the Saint gave you a Blessing."

Tyria blinked. "The Saint? You mean… Charlotte, the Saint of Valor?"

At that, Elyra and Elena moved aside.

Charlotte sat in her chair, still pale, her pink hair cascading over her shoulders, her golden eyes warm as they met Tyria's.

She smiled softly.

Tyria's lips trembled. "Thank you…"

Charlotte shook her head, voice as kind as always. "It's nothing. I'm just glad you're alright."

Nicolas took a step closer, his tone shifting. "Good. Now let's continue. We still have some things to understand."

Tyria nodded, bracing herself.

Nicolas kept his eyes on her. "Tyria… how did it all start? When did you receive the mark?"

She hesitated for a moment, then exhaled slowly.

"It began when they announced the Academy Tournament," she said. "Our director chose the forty top students from Tharvaldur. We were excited, we thought it was an honor, proof that we were the elite."

Her hands curled slightly in her lap.

"But we were wrong. He said he would give us something to make us stronger. None of us suspected anything… until we woke up with the mark."

She touched her neck absentmindedly — the skin now clean, but the memory clearly still there.

"After that… we couldn't say no to anything. Orders felt like laws written into our bones."

Noel frowned. "The first guy. The one who opened the event on day one — he didn't follow Torwan's script, even though he must've had the mark too."

Tyria nodded. Her expression darkened.

"Yes… we think Torwan let him act freely on purpose. He wanted to terrify the rest of us. The message was clear: disobey, and suffer the consequences."

Her voice shook slightly.

"We didn't see what happened to him. But the next morning… he was found nearly dead. His spine was shattered. Now he's bedridden."

Noel's hand tightened into a fist.

'I saw what they did to that poor kid… I was right there.'

He looked up, his expression somber. "I see. Thank you for sharing that. I know it couldn't have been easy."

Tyria gave a small nod, holding back emotion.

Nicolas folded his arms. "Is there anything else you know that could help us? We're planning to bring down your director, Tyria. But we'll need information… and allies."

Tyria hesitated, glancing at Noel.

"...He's probably looking for me right now. I was supposed to win. Since I lost… you, Noel, have likely drawn his attention."

Noel crossed his arms. "I figured as much."

Tyria looked down. "There's something else I want to tell you… our families — they're being used."

Noel's eyes narrowed. "In a factory? Making the enhancer?"

Tyria nodded. "Yes… they're there. Working. All of them."

"Don't worry. I know where it is. I've been inside," Noel said calmly. "There were hundreds of workers… I was already suspicious something was wrong. And now that we know the truth, we're closer to making our move than it seems."

He paused, his eyes darkening slightly. 'All that's left is dealing with the king. And if I'm right… he might be marked too.'

Nicolas looked thoughtful. "It's possible. If Torwan has gone this far, controlling the king wouldn't be out of reach."

Noel turned his gaze to Nicolas. "Didn't you say your ex could handle it?"

Nicolas let out a low breath. "...She could."

A beat of silence.

Then Nicolas looked at Tyria again. "It seems there's not much more you can offer. But don't worry — no one will know where you've gone. I'll teleport you with me to our hotel. You'll be safe there. We have two professors stationed at the building. They'll protect you."

Tyria's voice was soft. "What about my friends? My family?"

"You'll have to wait a little longer," Nicolas said gently. "We can't take risks. We have to secure everything before we act."

"...I understand." She looked over to Charlotte again. "Thank you… again."

Charlotte smiled. "Really, it's nothing. I'm just happy you're safe."

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