บท 53: Beneath the Surface

Valen waited in the southern courtyard, the silence around him almost surreal in its stillness. Midnight had come, and the academy grounds lay cloaked in darkness, a deep quiet stretching over every path and stone. He leaned against the cold wall, listening for any hint of movement.

A faint rustle of fabric signaled the rogue's approach, their form obscured beneath a dark cloak. The rogue moved with practiced stealth, their footsteps soft against the cobblestones. Valen watched them carefully, waiting as they stopped a few paces away.

The rogue inclined their head, speaking in a low, controlled tone. "You came alone. Wise. Even here, our words could reach unwelcome ears."

"Then speak," Valen replied, his voice calm but edged with impatience. "You claimed there was a relic—one connected to the Black Vow's control over those like me."