The morning sun cast a soft lilac glow over the city, its light streaming through the glass panels of an elegant cafe?. The rush of carriages on the road and the chatter of pedestrians outside did nothing to disturb the tranquil atmosphere within. The one-way glass allowed those inside to observe the bustling streets while remaining hidden from prying eyes.

    By a large window, a young man and woman sat enjoying a peaceful breakfast. Though dressed in fine garments, it was their composed demeanor and noble mannerisms that truly set them apart.

    "I suppose you did a good job yesterday," the young woman remarked, her vibrant red hair catching the morning light as she smiled.

    Damon scoffed, stirring his tea lazily. "That didn''t help my mana control at all."

    She smiled knowingly. "It wasn''t supposed to. My goal was to help you establish a new reputation, get in the good graces of our professors, and, most importantly, boost our academy''s prestige."

    Damon lifted his cup, inhaling the rich aroma of his tea.

    "All that talk about not wearing uniforms to avoid trouble with the Imperial Academy..."

    Lilith''s gentle smile didn''t quite reach her emerald eyes.

    "I never said we couldn''t find trouble with them—only that I didn''t want them to find trouble with us."

    Damon sighed. She was as cunning as ever, but he liked that about her. If she weren''t, how else could she be plotting the downfall of the world''s most powerful organization?

    "That Yuka von Penrose was stronger than I expected," he admitted, setting his cup down.

    "Even with Shadow Armor on my hands, he managed to cut me. If Emilia hadn''t interfered, he might''ve landed a solid blow. That second move of mine was too ambitious."

    Lilith took a delicate bite of her food.

    "It was a clever move, forcing Emilia into damage control with the Imperial Salute. She had no choice but to shift the narrative instead of outright accusing us."@@@@

    She set her utensils down.

    "Lady Margan will arrive soon. We''ll see if your plan works, Damon—and, more importantly, whether the one lurking in the shadows decides to act."

    Damon nodded. Someone was moving behind the scenes, a loose end that needed to be tied up.

    "I''ll be on my best behavior," he assured her.

    Lilith didn''t respond. Instead, her gaze drifted toward the glass panel, her expression darkening. Damon followed her line of sight.

    Lilith led them down an empty road, far from the bustling crowd.

    "That didn''t help her," Damon muttered.

    "And why the hell are you helping demons? They''re our enemies."

    Lilith glanced at him. "And what evil did that little girl commit?"

    Damon frowned.... She continued..

    "That''s just what they tell us. To keep us fighting. To keep us killing each other. Didn''t that elf say the same thing to you?"

    He narrowed his eyes. "Then they''re behind this, aren''t they?"

    She looked at him. "Do you know what our goddess truly is?"

    Damon hesitated. "...The Goddess of Doom."

    "Doom," Lilith murmured. "The end of all things. Everything that falls under doom is her domain—including war. Specifically, the Doom War. The war that will end the world."

    Her fists clenched.

    "Even before demons walked this land, this world was locked in perpetual conflict."

    Her teeth ground together.

    "Even now, in these past eight years of supposed ''truce,'' the goddess races are still fighting among themselves. And the temple..." She took a deep breath.

    "The temple is one of the reasons why."

    She closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again, filled with quiet fury.

    "The longest peace this world has ever known lasted thirteen hours. No longer. Before another war began—big or small." Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire

    Damon had never heard her sound so angry.

    "I want to end it all," she whispered. "I want to end this era of endless, senseless war."