The line went quiet for a moment before the man chuckled again, surprised.

Of all people, hearing her agree with such an assessment carried a certain weight.

Yara straightened in her chair, her posture tightening, her sharp gaze flickered toward the glowing monitor, her voice low but edged with authority.

"But most importantly," she said slowly, "you mentioned he hadn't awakened when he was kicked out of his house, correct?"

The reply came instantly, and smooth.

"Yes. He wasn't awakened. In fact, he never even picked out a weapon or trained a single day in his life."

Her brows furrowed. She leaned forward, tension drawing a line between her eyes.

"But… during his assessment, he performed like someone who has been training relentlessly all his life. No, more than that. His combat wasn't refined, true, but his adaptability, his execution in every other aspect, was flawless. He's ranked among the highest of normal people, that has no ability, no technique, nothing."

"Yes," the man confirmed. "I studied that case in depth. But…" For the first time, the steady rhythm of the man voice hesitated. "To be honest, this was the first time I could not uncover the truth behind something."

Yara's heart gave a violent jolt. The faintest tremor passed through her hand, and she gripped the arm of her chair tightly.

The one speaking to her was not a normal man at all, but Lute, her family personal system, an artificial intelligence so advanced it bordered on omniscient.

Lute was not just a machine; it was an entity capable of tearing through encrypted networks, rewriting codes, and extracting secrets buried in the most hidden corners of the world.

To her, nothing had ever been impossible for Lute. And yet…

"You failed?" Yara whispered, her voice barely audible, disbelief cracking through her usual composure.

"I hate to admit it," Lute replied with robotic precision, "but yes. I failed. However, all hope is not lost. I have formed several probabilities. Would you like me to proceed, Miss Yara?"

Her chest tightened. For the first time in a long while, Yara realized she was… unsettled.

She exhaled sharply, forcing her voice to remain steady.

"Speak."

"Firstly, regarding his assessment," Lute began. "I hacked into the academy's central system and acquired the complete report. His stats were all marked at level seven. Average, balanced. However, during combat his performance was anomalous. He displayed precise combos, advanced maneuvering, and movements too efficient for someone with no training. His fighting were not honed by instruction, they were instinctive."

A pause. Then Lute added.

"If we compare both your stats, you are still superior. You've crossed level twenty. Whereas, based on his displayed values, he remains at level seven… perhaps six."

Yara narrowed her eyes.

"And how does that explanation relate to the current situation?"

There was a short silence, then Lute replied, "It does not. But it is—"

"Just shut up," Yara snapped, cutting the voice off.

Her teeth ground together, frustration biting deeper than she cared to show.

Her knuckles whitened against the chair's edge as she muttered under her breath.

"Do you even realize what you're telling me?" Her voice quivered with restrained anger. "You're saying he could surpass me at any moment. Casually. Without warning. Maybe in a week. Maybe in days."

She clenched her jaw tighter, her words spilling like venom.

"And you thought it was necessary to tell me that?"

A low, chuckle buzzed through the speaker.

"I apologize, young miss," Lute said smoothly. "I will go straight to the point now. First, in the matter of probabilities: one possibility is that he awakened the moment he was cast out of his house. Perhaps it was some broken, irregular ability, something that explains his sudden strength. Secondly, it may be that he has been hiding his awakening, his training, and his growth all along. And third…"

Lute's voice paused, as if calculating the weight of the final option.

"…it may be that he has signed a contract, with a demon, a high-ranked villain, perhaps even a vampire. The chances are not low. One of these three, most likely."

Yara's body stiffened. A faint shiver ran through her spine before she forced it down, her face smoothing back into composure. Her heartbeat, however, did not slow.

"And if it is one of those three?" Lute pressed. "What will you do now, Miss Yara?"

Yara's lips parted, then closed again.

She leaned back into her chair, her gaze hardening at the glowing screen in front of her.

The silence stretched before she finally spoke, her tone clipped but laced with unease.

"I… don't know."

Her fingers curled against the polished armrest, nails lightly scraping the surface.

"There's nothing I can do. I can't simply walk up to him and demand the truth, nor can I force it out of him. And report him? That would be reckless. What if I'm wrong? What if he truly is stronger than me already? Any of those choices put me directly at risk." She exhaled slowly, forcing her voice steadier. "The only rational option now is to secure his favor. Keep him on my good side. He is a mystery, and I don't confront what I cannot yet understand."

She paused, her words sinking into the room's heavy silence.

"If he really is connected to demons or villains, then I gain nothing by making him my enemy. But if he's simply hiding his power, and he will surpass me soon… I don't care. If I can't surpass him, then I will make certain he remains beneath me in another way. Even if I can't stand above him by strength, I will ensure he's bound to me." she said. "But no, I don't believe he would be able to pass me."

A faint sigh came through the line, synthetic yet strangely human.

"I agree. That is the safest path, young miss. But… what if the boy has his own goal here at the academy? Judging from the probabilities, if he truly is tied to such powers, then surely his presence is not without purpose."

Yara froze.

Her mind turned sharply, words circling like blades.

'If he has a goal… then what is it? Why here? Who is backing him?'

Her jaw clenched. There were too many questions.

Too many shadows with no light to expose them.

"For now…" she said carefully, "we settle with what we know. Keep investigating. If you find anything, no matter how small, you report to me at once. And if it requires… stalking him—"

She stopped herself. The word lingered bitterly on her tongue.

Ryan was no longer just another student. He was an ally, at least in name.

To shadow his every step like an enemy felt… wrong.

Her eyes hardened again.

"…Just do your job, Lute."

"As you wish, Miss Yara," the man replied without hesitation.

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