Chapter 422: Chapter 422 – Unexpected Guests!

Luca straightened himself upon the bed, the faint creak of the wooden frame echoing softly within the quiet room as his attention shifted fully toward the figure standing by the open window. The night sky stretched behind her, deep and endless, illuminated by the soft glow of the moon that seemed almost deliberately placed to frame her presence.

Celestia stood there as though the world itself had paused to allow her entrance.

Her long golden hair flowed gently with the night breeze, shimmering faintly under the silver moonlight as though each strand carried its own quiet radiance. The soft light resting behind her formed a natural halo, giving her presence an almost otherworldly elegance that contrasted sharply with the simplicity of Luca’s modest dormitory room.

Without hesitation, she stepped forward lightly, crossing the windowsill with effortless grace before landing silently upon the floor, her crimson eyes studying Luca calmly as the silence between them stretched for a brief moment.

Neither spoke.

Neither looked away.

Then—

Her brows furrowed slightly.

Something shifted within her expression.

Without explanation, she turned immediately and moved toward the bathroom, her steps swift yet controlled as she disappeared behind the partially closed door without offering a single word.

Luca blinked faintly, confusion surfacing instantly.

“…What was that about…” he murmured quietly, his brows drawing together as he tried to understand what had just occurred.

Before he could think further—

A faint movement caught his attention.

Another presence.

Standing by the window.

White hair fluttered gently in the night breeze, the delicate veil covering the lower half of her face moving softly as the air passed through the room. The calm yet imposing aura surrounding her left no doubt regarding her identity.

Luca rose quickly from the bed and bowed respectfully.

“Master,” he said quietly.

The Tower Master stepped gracefully into the room, her posture composed, though her gaze carried unmistakable concern as she observed him carefully.

Without wasting time, she approached him directly, her eyes scanning him closely as though searching for signs of hidden injury.

Her presence, normally calm and distant, now carried a subtle urgency that revealed far more than her composed demeanor allowed openly.

“Are you certain you are unharmed?” she asked softly, her voice gentle yet firm.

Her eyes moved carefully, observing even the smallest details in his posture, his breathing, his expression.

“Did you suffer any injuries during the mission that you have not reported?”

Her concern was not merely formal.

It was genuine.

Luca felt a faint stir of guilt rise within him, the memory of what had truly transpired during the mission pressing quietly against his thoughts.

Yet he shook his head calmly.

“No,” he replied steadily.

“I am unharmed.”

His gaze lowered briefly.

“It is only that…”

He paused slightly before continuing.

“I feel as though I failed to accomplish what was entrusted to me.”

The words left him quietly, though the weight behind them was unmistakable.

The quiet tension within the room softened slightly as the Tower Master observed Luca’s expression carefully, her perceptive gaze noticing the weight of responsibility he had placed upon himself far more heavily than necessary. She remained silent for a brief moment, as though choosing her words with deliberate care, ensuring that what she said would reach him not merely as instruction, but as understanding.

“This outcome was never entirely within your control,” she said gently, her voice calm yet carrying quiet certainty that allowed no room for argument.

Her posture remained composed, yet the subtle warmth in her tone contrasted with the distant authority she usually maintained before others.

“You were sent into an environment deliberately designed to mislead and manipulate,” she continued, her eyes steady upon him.

“The enemy we face does not rely solely upon strength or open confrontation.”

“They exploit uncertainty.”

“They create conditions where even the most disciplined individuals may find their judgment clouded.”

Her gaze softened slightly, though her composure remained intact.

“No operative, regardless of capability, could guarantee complete immunity against such calculated interference.”

She paused briefly, allowing the words to settle.

“If fault is to be placed anywhere,” she added quietly, “then it lies with those of us who chose to send you into such danger knowing the possibility of unforeseen variables.”

Her tone carried quiet accountability.

“You were tasked with observation and confirmation.”

“You followed the parameters given.”

“The absence of conclusive evidence does not equate to failure.”

Her eyes lingered upon him a moment longer.

“You returned safely.”

“That alone is a result worth acknowledging.”

Luca listened silently, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly as her words settled within him. Though the unresolved questions surrounding the mission remained, the burden he had instinctively placed upon himself began to feel less suffocating.

He gave a small nod.

“…Thank you,” he said quietly, sincerity evident in his voice.

The Tower Master observed him for a moment longer, as though ensuring he had truly absorbed what she intended to convey.

“I would remain a while longer,” she said calmly after a brief pause, her tone returning to its usual composed cadence, “however there are matters requiring my attention elsewhere.”

Her gaze shifted briefly toward the window, where the night sky stretched endlessly beyond the academy walls.

“For now, I will take my leave.”

Luca inclined his head respectfully.

“Yes, Master.”

With a small nod in return, the Tower Master turned gracefully and stepped back toward the open window, as her eyes flashed looking at the bathroom window, her white hair moving softly with the night breeze as her figure disappeared quietly beyond the frame, leaving the room once more in stillness.

As Luca thought….did she discover something?

Yet the calm she left behind lingered faintly, easing at least part of the turmoil within Luca’s thoughts.

For several moments after the Tower Master departed, silence returned to the room once again, the faint sound of the night breeze passing through the still-open window stirring the curtains gently. Luca remained standing where he was, his thoughts lingering upon the reassurance he had just received, though the weight pressing against his mind had not fully disappeared.

Slowly, he turned his gaze toward the bathroom door.

Just as he did—

The door opened.

Celestia stepped out calmly, her expression composed as always, her golden hair settling gently over her shoulders as though even the night wind had been careful not to disturb her presence more than necessary.

Luca blinked faintly.

“…Did you really need to hide?” he asked, unable to fully mask the confusion in his voice.

Celestia did not respond to the question.

Instead, her crimson eyes studied him quietly, as though observing something deeper than his words.

“It was not your fault,” she said simply.

Luca paused, slightly taken aback by the unexpected statement.

For a brief moment, he did not know how to respond.

Is this… her way of consoling me…?

The thought left him oddly conflicted.

For reasons he could not immediately explain, her words seemed to deepen the subtle unease within him rather than ease it.

Celestia stepped forward calmly and sat upon the edge of his bed as though the space naturally belonged to her, her posture relaxed yet carrying unmistakable authority even within the casual setting.

Luca watched her in silence, uncertainty flickering briefly across his expression.

She tilted her head slightly before gesturing lightly beside her.

“Sit.”

Her voice left little room for refusal.

Luca obeyed without protest, sitting beside her as he waited for her to speak.

Celestia’s crimson gaze remained fixed upon him as she asked calmly,

“Tell me… how exactly did you behave as a couple?”

Luca blinked once.

Then again.

The question caught him entirely off guard.

“…What?”

Before he could fully process her intention, the air within the room seemed to cool slightly, an almost imperceptible shift that raised the hairs along the back of his neck.

Then—

Celestia moved closer.

Her arms wrapped around him suddenly.

Her embrace firm.

Controlled.

“Like this?” she asked calmly.

Luca stiffened slightly, uncertain how to react.

Unlike the warmth he might have expected from such closeness, her presence carried a strange coolness, her composure remaining intact even within the intimacy of the gesture.

She tightened her hold slightly.

“Or perhaps… like this?” she continued quietly.

Her voice remained calm, yet something unreadable lingered beneath the surface.

“You must have enjoyed it quite a bit,” she added smoothly.

“Convincing your professor to act as your wife.”

Luca found himself momentarily trapped within her grip, only managing to respond faintly,

“It… it was part of the mission…”

Celestia gave a soft, almost amused exhale.

“Hmph.”

“So you truly rely on the same explanation every time,” she said lightly.

Her lips curved faintly as she leaned closer, her voice lowering slightly.

“You used the very same justification before with me as well.”

Before Luca could respond—

He felt a sudden, sharp sensation at his neck.

Her teeth grazed lightly against his skin.

The brief contact sent an unexpected chill through him.

And with it—

Memory surged.

Fragments of blurred recollections surfaced instantly.

Dark violet-tinted hair.

Ghostly pale skin.

The pressure of unfamiliar closeness.

The confusion of lost control.

Luca’s eyes widened faintly as he instinctively pulled away, placing a small distance between them.

“It… wasn’t my idea this time,” he said quickly.

Celestia observed him carefully, her crimson gaze sharpening slightly as though measuring the reaction he had not intended to reveal so clearly.

Her expression remained calm.

Yet far more attentive now.

“What exactly,” she asked quietly,

“…are you hiding?”

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