They walked side by side in silence at first. Their footsteps echoed softly on the floor. rlin advanced with steady steps, head held high. Kaiser, hands in his pockets, kept pace without hurrying...
They soon reached the entrance to the Dawn faction’s quarter. Two students in light armor stood guard on either side of the large door. As soon as they saw rlin, they straightened up and brought their hands to their chests in salute. Their gazes then slid to Kaiser. Their brows furrowed slightly. Mistrust was plain on their faces, but neither spoke a word.
rlin noticed the scene. A smirk appeared on her lips. She said nothing at the mont and kept walking.
After passing through the door, rlin turned her head slightly toward him.
"It looks like they don’t exactly hold you in high regard," she said in a calm voice.
"Yeah, looks like it," Kaiser replied vaguely. He shrugged, seeming completely indifferent.
They continued walking. The Dawn quarter was brighter than the rest of the building. Tall windows let in daylight. Climbing plants adorned the colonnades. Elves in light tunics passed by occasionally, so nodding respectfully to rlin. None lingered on Kaiser for more than two seconds.
At the end of a long corridor, they stopped in front of a door. A golden plaque simply read "Mistress of the Sun Faction." rlin placed her hand on the handle.
"Wait for a few seconds," she warned.
She entered and closed the door behind her. Left alone, Kaiser leaned against the opposite wall, closed his eyes, and crossed his arms. He didn’t like waiting, but he knew it was necessary.
Several minutes passed. The door finally cracked open. rlin stepped out, leaving the panel half-open.
"Sorry for the wait," she said. "I had to convince her to agree to see you."
"Thanks," Kaiser replied, pushing off the wall.
"No need," rlin shot back. She looked at him for a mont. "A deal is a deal. But if you really want to thank anyway... co see again."
She added a naughty smile, winked, then turned on her heel. Her figure moved away down the corridor, elegant and confident.
Kaiser watched her for a few seconds. Then he turned, pushed the half-open door, and entered.
The office interior was spacious. A large window overlooked an inner courtyard. The floor was covered with a thick carpet in blue and gold geotric patterns. In the middle of the room, Jezabel Of Sun sat in an armchair. Her legs were crossed. A steaming cup rested in her right hand.
She wore a fitted black dress made of a mix of polished leather and silky fabric. Golden embroidery ran along the sleeves and collar.
Her pointed ears, characteristic of elves, protruded clearly from her hair. Her blond hair was short, styled in a slightly tousled manner. A strand fell across the side of her face. Her features were delicate, but her expression remained haughty.
Her icy blue eyes fixed on Kaiser without blinking.
She set her cup on the desk without a sound, then made a brief gesture toward the armchair opposite her.
"Sit."
Kaiser looked at her for a mont, hands still in his pockets. Then he accepted the invitation. He crossed the room, sat in the armchair, and adopted a relaxed posture. He leaned slightly forward, elbows on his knees.
"What does a guy like you want from ?" she asked with a sullen expression.
"I’m here to propose an alliance," Kaiser replied without beating around the bush.
Jezabel’s brows furrowed. She didn’t like him. She had always found him too arrogant. During the entrance exam, he had humiliated several elves without the slightest remorse. She had only agreed to receive him because of rlin’s insistence, but she had no intention of being pleasant.
’He’s probably fucking my master... How could Father have allowed that whore to be my master!?’ She sighed inwardly, with no intention of ever letting those thoughts out.
After all, rlin might be a whore, but she was a powerful whore.
"You owe that much. I saved your arrogant ass last ti."
"You..." Jezabel gritted her teeth... "You expect to thank you?"
Kaiser didn’t react to her anger. He continued as if nothing had happened.
"As I said, I’m here to propose an alliance."
"And why would I accept?" she asked, her voice heavy with displeasure. "What do I gain from it?"
"Our goals aren’t so different," he replied calmly.
"What do you an by that?" Jezabel asked, tilting her head skeptically.
"We’re both looking to destroy the other elven faction," Kaiser explained.
A silence passed. Jezabel studied him at length. She tried to read his eyes, but they remained opaque.
"And what do you gain from destroying the other faction?" she finally asked.
"I have my reasons," Kaiser replied.
He turned his head toward her. His gaze beca cold, glacial. A murderous intent flashed in his eyes, so clear that Jezabel felt a shiver run up her spine. She swallowed despite herself. She didn’t know exactly who this hatred was aid at, but one thing was clear: this man would do anything to achieve his ends.
Kaiser narrowed his eyes slightly...
In his mind, mories surfaced. He could still see Katrina, that bitch who had killed Ruby in cold blood. Ruby, the nanny who had raised him as a child, the pain had never faded and had only grown stronger over ti since they no longer had the "Level-headed" skill... Killing Katrina with his own hands had beco a necessity. The rest : factions, elves, alliances were just ans to an end.
Jezabel sensed it. She understood he wasn’t joking. An extra force in her camp could only help her. She had nothing to lose by accepting; on the contrary.
"Fine," she said at last. "Extra help will only make things easier for ." She paused, then added, "I’ll keep you inford of what happens next."
"Good," Kaiser replied. He stood up without waiting; the discussion was over. "We’ll et again," he concluded.
He turned on his heel and left. The door closed behind him with a sharp click.
Jezabel remained alone. She picked up her cup and took a sip. The tea was still hot. She stared at the closed door for a long mont. She had accepted. From now on, she would have to keep a close eye on this man.
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