"One moment, we were eating dinner," Micah recalled, sitting across from me in the royal carriage, "and the next, the walls were in flames. There was no time to escape from the dining room—the door was swallowed by fire before we could stand up from our chairs."

  The fire had spread in an instant, consuming the manor in a handful of minutes.

  As Micah spoke, providing a recollection of the horrors that had occurred within the manor, I turned my gaze toward the window of the royal carriage. The once-grand estate of the Frey family was now nothing more than smoldering ruins, blackened and broken against the late evening sky. Thick plumes of smoke still curled into the air, the last remnants of what used to be our home.

  To think I'd see this view again.

  I sighed as the carriage we were in turned and the destruction hid from view behind some buildings.

  Several carriages, arranged by Princess Evelyn, were provided to carry the survivors of the Frey Manor away from the carnage and to our new, albeit temporary, home in West Genise. Micah and I had one carriage to ourselves to speak in private; after all, he was still the only person of my family who knew about the reality of the looping Game I was living in.

  "If Fin hadn't been with us, we'd all have burned to a crisp," Micah said, his emerald-green eyes meeting mine. "We're lucky he was with us."

  A lump in my throat momentarily returned.

  I had been this close to losing my entire family in one go.

  I swallowed it down and focused on my breathing, recalling the mental training with the monks.

  But I didn't lose them. They all survived.

  My parents, siblings, and Fin had gathered in the formal dining room for their evening meal. It was a rare occurrence—my family seldom could eat together due to conflicting schedules—but we always tried to eat together whenever possible.

  "Should I thank Ra Sol for burning down the manor in the midst of dinner…?" I muttered, gazing out the window again at the opulent mansions of West Genise that we passed.

  The timing was ultimately the reason so many of the people I cared about managed to survive.

  Had they been anywhere else—scattered throughout the manor instead of gathered in one place—Fin wouldn't have been able to shield them in time. But because my family had been near him when the fire broke out, his magic had enveloped them, protecting them in its cocoon even as the walls collapsed and the ceiling caved in.

  Not everyone in Frey Manor had been as fortunate. Fin was powerful, but he was still a budding mage and not yet strong enough to extend his magic to the entire household. Even so, it was remarkable that he had managed to sustain the barrier for several hours.

  "Perhaps there's some gratitude to be found in the timing," Micah admitted. "However, he likely chose dinner time deliberately. It was the hour when most of the household would be inside, deep within the manor, with limited escape routes." He paused, his expression darkening. "He had no way of knowing about Fin's existence. He intended for no one to survive."

  I opened my mouth to ask how Ra Sol had known the exact time our meals were served, but the answer struck me before I could summon the question.

  "Charles," I murmured, my jaw tightening.

  Micah nodded. "That is likely to be the case if Ra Sol is also involved with the Guardians of Luminal, as you suspect."

  A heavy sigh escaped me. I rubbed my face with both hands, feeling the weight of exhaustion on me.

  "Do you think anyone else survived?" I asked.

  When the fire broke out, my parents, siblings, and a handful of guards and servants had been in the dining room with Fin. Thanks to him, they had all made it out alive. But what about the others?

  "What about Sarka and Leo?" I inquired.

  I had provided Sarka Jarbez with the notes of the previous round of the perfected portal that she created—and not just the miniature one but the larger one. In the previous loop on day ten, she had managed to create a functioning mini-portal, albeit one that still required to be tested. Were my notes and ten days sufficient to create a functioning larger portal? And more importantly, were they able to use it to escape from the Frey Manor?

  Micah's expression hardened. "Perhaps. When dinner started, a servant informed us they were still in their workshop, tweaking the portal."

  "If they managed to get it working…." my voice trailed off. "Do you know where the exit portal was set up?"

  Micah shook his head. "Elda might know—she had been spending a lot of time with Leo."

  I made a mental note to ask her as soon as possible.

  The carriage continued its way uphill before finally rolling to a stop in an expansive courtyard paved with polished stone. Ornate light stones flickered in the night, casting elongated shadows over the perfectly manicured hedges and the grand fountain at the center—a stone sculpture of a mermaid brushing her long hair with a golden comb, which I suspected was genuine gold.

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  The carriage door opened, and I stepped out, my gaze immediately drawn to the towering mansion before me.

  "This is our temporary residence?" I balked, taking in the grandiose structure. It was extravagant, with intricate stonework, massive arched windows, and balconies that jutted out.

  The Frey Manor was nothing to scoff at, but the exuberance of this mansion was almost grotesque. Gold could be found on every bit of metal detailing that was not stone.

  Micah patted my back, joining me outside. "Until a few days ago, it was the residence of Alexandre Lavoisier, a marquis. However, certain… questionable interests of his have recently come to light. Rather than face the repercussions, he appears to have taken the coward's route and fled."

  I turned to him, my brows furrowing. "What sort of questionable interests?"

  Micah leaned in, his breath warm against my ear as he whispered, "The scroll we found at The Alchemist's Tower—I've had it fully deciphered."

  He pulled away, flashing me his usual charming smile.

  Ah.

  I suddenly felt something boil within me.

  Marquis Lavoisier had been one of the buyers. One of those who had been funding the Alchemist's work.

  This detail wasn't lost on Apophis, who lay across my left shoulder. He hissed in disgust and filled my mind with vicious words. And not just into my own. Micah’s expression flickered ever so slightly, confirming that my brother had also received the snake’s scathing thoughts.

  "Don't worry," Micah muttered. His green eyes gazed toward Apophis before locking into mine. "All the buyers are being taken care of... in one way or another."

  "Good." I nodded, proud of my brother.

  Micah exhaled, tilting his head toward the grand estate before us.

  "I would have preferred the previous resident of this place had stayed and faced justice here in Adovoria," Micah continued, his tone light but holding an edge beneath the surface, "but I suppose seizing his estate makes for a decent consolation prize. No matter—he'll face proper consequences in Lellei, where I hear he's decided to settle."

  As we approached the mansion's entrance, the royal guards pushed open the towering double doors, revealing the opulence within.

  We were the first of the Freys to arrive.

  Ou steps echoed across the beige marble floor that stretched across the vast expanse of the foyer, polished to an immaculate sheen that reflected the light of an elaborate light stone chandelier overhead. A grand pair of symmetrical staircases, with gold-adorned railings, curved upwards on either side of the space.

  The walls were covered with enormous portraits in ornate gilded frames. The paintings depicted men and women with arrogant and domineering expressions. Likely the marquis's ancestors… or perhaps one of them was the despicable man himself, immortalized in layers of oil paint and vanity.

  "Micah!"

  A familiar voice rang through the grand hall. Princess Evelyn stood atop one of the staircases, her fiery red hair catching the light as she quickly descended, just shy of outright running.

  The moment she reached him, she threw her arms around my brother, holding him in a tight embrace. Relief was written all over her face, but as she pulled back, her hands moved instinctively over his arms and shoulders, searching for any sign of injury.

  "I'm fine," Micah reassured her. His green eyes had a mischievous glint to them as he lowered his voice. "Though if you insist, you can inspect me better when we're alone."

  I coughed and turned my face to inspect the surroundings better, taking a particular interest in the large-nosed man depicted in one of the four enormous paintings of this room.

  I squinted at the picture.

  Is that the marquis?

  Given that it had the most prominent position in the foyer, I suspected as much.

  "Luca," Evelyn addressed me with a warm smile, acknowledging my presence. "It's good to meet you finally, and I'm relieved you're unharmed as well."

  "Likewise, Princess," I said with a slight bow. I knew she disliked excessive formality, but since this was our first meeting, at least from her perspective, I opted for some level of formality so as not to come off rude.

  It was an odd feeling. I had met with her countless times in prior loops, but for her, this was our first introduction.

  "You can just call me Evelyn," she said with a wave of her hand. "We've only just met, but I already feel I owe you a great deal of thanks. Ah, Duncan Genuiver has been adjusting well to his new role, by the way. He's already been a tremendous help."

  "I am glad to hear it," I replied with a smile.

  "I heard from Luca that Ra Sol is the prime suspect in the attack?" Micah inquired, changing the subject.

  At once, Evelyn's expression darkened. She glanced toward the handful of guards nearby.

  "We should discuss this somewhere private," she said, motioning for us to follow her.

  A short walk later, I sank into a red velvet armchair, the plush and antique fabric yielding beneath me. The office, once belonging to the estate's previous owner, appeared to be ancient but meticulously upkept.

  Dark wood paneling lined the walls, interrupted only by towering bookshelves overflowing with leather-bound tomes and locked scrolls. The air smelled faintly of aged parchment, tobacco, and spilt liquor.

  My eyes swept a shelf of expensive, honey-colored liquor.

  This man certainly liked to drink.

  "I've read the report as well; there's little to suspect," Evelyn said, leaning against the large office desk, her arms crossed. "Ra Sol has been confirmed by several accounts to have been responsible for the fire."

  Micah sighed, running one hand through his blonde hair. He had an expression of resigned acceptance. "Ah, that's unfortunate. So there's nothing to be done about him from your end."

  A small, knowing smile appeared on Evelyn's lips.

  "It's confidential information, but of course, you're aware of that?"

  I blinked.

  "What is it?" I inquired, wanting to be looped in.

  Evelyn tilted her head toward Micah, who took it upon himself to explain.

  "Ra Sol is beyond reproach," he said simply. "At least as far as Adovorian law is concerned."

  "Why?" I asked.

  Perhaps if this were my original life, I wouldn't have questioned it; no one cared when the fire broke out and extinguished whatever life remained in the Frey Manor. However, today, circumstances are quite different.

  "Because," Evelyn answered, her voice laced with resignation, "he is one of the Honored Adovorian Heroes."

  The title sent a flicker of recognition through me. I recalled Professor Whistle's lessons on this particular privilege; it was an ironclad protection granted to a select few due to great deeds done for the royal family.

  "He's untouchable?" I echoed, just to be sure.

  Evelyn nodded.

  "No history book will ever mention him—by his request—but two decades ago, during the mass assassinations of high-profile figures, a handful of individuals emerged seemingly from nowhere, saving nobles and leaders from certain death. Ra Sol was one of these heroes," she explained.

  My gaze met Micah's, a silent understanding passing between us.

  The mass summoning of the previous Game.

  Evelyn's voice broke through the pause in the air. "Two decades ago, Ra Sol saved my father… and me."

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