Chapter 96: Chapter 96: Heat and KeysNoel lay sprawled on his bed, bare-chested, bandages still wrapped tightly around his ribs and right arm. The room was dim, the curtains drawn shut to keep the lingering winter chill at bay. Revenant Fang rested quietly on the desk nearby, its black edge catching the faintest glimmer of candlelight.

    Beneath a mound of bundled sheets, nestled close to his side, was the egg.

    Smooth, solid, and infuriatingly silent.

    "I’ve been at this for three days," Noel muttered, glaring down at the lump beneath the blankets. "Fire magic.

    Moderate heat. Even wrapped it like a damn newborn. Nothing."

    He exhaled sharply and closed his eyes, pulling the sheets tighter.

    "Status."

    A blue message flickered into view:

    [Incubation Status: Inactive – Temperature insufficient.]

    "Of course," he sighed. "Of course it is."

    He rolled onto his back, arms behind his head, staring at the ceiling. "I should be studying for final exams. I’ve barely got a week left."

    "My core’s at 96.8%. That’s less than 4% away from Adept, and I’m stuck playing babysitter to a mystery rock."

    A gust of frustration rose in his chest. "Nothing’s going the way I want."

    Silence settled around him again. Outside, the academy moved on. Inside his room, locked from the inside, everything had come to a standstill. His gaze flicked to the desk, to the sword, then back to the egg.

    "...Maybe it’s not the what that matters. Maybe it’s the who."

    "Drastic times," Noel muttered, pushing himself up and brushing the sheets aside, "call for drastic measures."

    With a resigned breath, he grabbed the egg gently and placed it directly on the warmest spot he could find—his lap. Then, he sat cross-legged over it, wrapping his legs and arms around it like some sort of strange meditation pose.

    Nothing.

    Then:

    [Incubation Process Initiated – 99.9%]

    A moment later:

    [99.8%]

    Noel stared at the floating numbers, expression blank.

    "You’re telling me I have to sit like this until it hatches?"

    The counter dropped again—99.7%, ticking down slowly. Excruciatingly slowly.

    He let out a long groan. "Fantastic. Just fantastic."

    He leaned his head back against the wall, trying to relax, ignoring the discomfort in his ribs and shoulder.

    Then he heard it.

    Click.

    The soft metallic sound of a door unlocking.

    Noel’s eyes snapped open—there had been no footsteps, no knock or warning.

    He turned his head just in time to see the door creak open, letting in a sliver of hallway light—and then a familiar silhouette stepped inside.

    Elyra von Estermont.

    Still dressed in her noble red coat, the crest of her house embroidered over her heart, she stood in the doorway, blinking once.

    Then she stared.

    Then she smiled, slowly. "This... this image is going to stay with me for a long time. I’m not sure if it’s in a good or bad way."

    Noel panicked. "W–what the hell?! How did you get in here?!"

    He scrambled to grab a blanket and cover himself—and the egg—at the same time, flushed red as her eyes glinted mischievously.

    Elyra casually held up a small silver key. "Surprise, Noel. I have a copy."

    "You what?!" His voice cracked.

    She stepped inside, closing the door behind her with a soft click. "Well, someone was so tired one day he fell asleep in my lap. I might have made a small request to the blacksmith afterward."

    "...And what do you plan to do with a copy of my room key?"

    Elyra grinned. "I haven’t decided yet."

    Noel groaned and pulled the blanket tighter around his waist.

    "Glad to see you too," she added with a smirk. "Though, I admit this wasn’t exactly the image I was expecting when I came back."

    He exhaled, finally settling down. "You’re back."

    "I am," Elyra said softly. "Though maybe I should’ve knocked. Before I ask about the egg, are you alright?" Her gaze narrowed. "Why are you still bandaged?"

    "It’s a long story."

    Elyra folded her arms. "Good. I have all the time in the world."

    He told her.

    Everything.

    The new professor, Lereus—how he had been a demon in disguise. How he’d used his own blood to control students from the inside. How Laziel had unknowingly led others into his grasp. How Noel had barely escaped the same fate. The final confrontation in his base. The blood. The fear. And how, in the end, he had killed him.

    Elyra didn’t interrupt. She just listened.

    When he finished, silence lingered in the air like smoke.

    "...Well," she said at last, her voice calm. "You’ve had a busy month."

    Noel raised an eyebrow. "That’s all you have to say?"

    Elyra smiled again, softer this time. "What do you want me to say? ’Be more careful’? ’Don’t act recklessly’?"

    She shook her head. "I know you better than that, Noel. You’ll do what you believe is right... whether anyone approves or not."

    He looked away, not quite sure how to respond.

    A beat passed.

    Then Elyra tilted her head, eyeing the blankets beneath him. "Now... about that egg?"

    Noel blinked, then chuckled under his breath. "I found it while out hunting. It... looked strange. So I brought it back. Thought it might be something special."

    "Do you know what’s inside?"

    "No clue."

    She stretched her arms above her head, letting out a soft yawn. "Well, I’ll let you get back to sitting on your mystery egg like an oversized hen. I should go check how Seraphina’s doing in her new role."

    Noel gave her a nod, and she turned toward the door.

    But before she could leave—

    "Wait," Noel said, his voice quieter than before.

    Elyra paused with her hand on the doorknob, glancing back over her shoulder. "Hmm?"

    "...How’s your mother?"

    The question hung in the air, still and heavy.

    Elyra’s confident posture wavered just slightly. Her smile faded into something softer, more distant. "She’s... the same," she said after a breath. "No better. No worse. But... thank you for asking."

    Noel nodded once. He didn’t press further.

    Elyra turned fully this time, looking at him with something unreadable in her eyes—concern, maybe... or gratitude.

    Then she gave him a small wave and stepped out, the door clicking gently shut behind her.

    Noel was left alone again.

    The room was quiet, save for the ticking of the enchanted clock on the wall.

    He shifted his weight slightly, still seated awkwardly on top of the egg. The system interface flickered silently in front of him.

    He stared at it, but didn’t really see it.

    His thoughts drifted. sea??h thё N??eFire.ηet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

    ’I won’t tell her yet. After the exams... then I’ll promise her I’ll help. No matter what it takes.’

    His gaze drifted to the window. The faint light of dawn was beginning to creep through the edges of the curtains.

    ’I need to focus. Just a little longer.’

    He glanced toward the corner of the room—toward

    Revenant Fang.

    ’I can’t go back to the Thorne estate. Even if my brothers are away in Elarith, I can’t stand being under the same roof as those snakes.’

    His hands tightened slightly around the blankets wrapped around the egg.

    ’Let’s survive the next few days... then we’ll talk about the rest.’

    He let out a slow breath, eyes fixed on the ceiling.

    ’Shit... I don’t think I’m the same anymore.’