"Sera!" She looked up, breaking into a smile. Then saw Lucian. "Oh. And... company."
"Mira, I need a favor." Seraphina didn't waste time.
"Of course you do." Mira set down her quill. "What kind of favor are we talking about?"
"The kind that helps prove someone was framed with a false accusation."
Mira's expression shifted. Serious. "This is about him, isn't it?" She looked at Lucian. "The... situation."
"His name is Lucian," Seraphina said sharply.
Defended me. Immediately. Without hesitation.
"And yes. Someone set him up. Used a girl to destroy his reputation. We need to know who she is and why she'd do it."
"Sera, I can't just give out student information. That's completely against—"
"I'm not asking you to break rules." Seraphina leaned forward, eyes intense. "I'm asking you to help expose whoever's manipulating students and weaponizing accusations. That's what you care about, isn't it? Protecting students?"
Good. She knows how to frame it.
Mira bit her lip. Looked between them.
"The librarian already confirmed Lucian wasn't even there when it supposedly happened," Seraphina continued. "Someone paid or coerced this girl. We're trying to find out who before they do it to someone else."
A long silence.
Then Mira sighed. "What do you need to know?"
"Her name. Year. Background. Any connections that might explain why she'd agree to this."
Mira turned to her filing system. "The girl's name is Elena Marsh. First year. Scholarship student—comes from a merchant family in the outer territories. No notable connections to nobility."
"Scholarship student?" Lucian frowned. "So she doesn't have money or influence."
"Which means someone either paid her or threatened her," Seraphina finished. She looked at Mira. "Any disciplinary records? Debts? Academic struggles?"
Mira checked. "No discipline issues. But her grades dropped significantly in the past month. She was on track for honors, now she's barely passing."
"Blackmail," Seraphina said immediately. "Someone found leverage. Grades, family debts, something. Forced her cooperation."
"Does she have a regular study group?" Lucian asked. "Friends who might know what's going on?"
Mira pulled up more records. "She's registered in a study group that meets in the east common room. Tuesday and Thursday evenings."
"Today's Tuesday," Lucian noted.
Seraphina was already moving toward the door. "Then we know where to be tonight."
"Sera, be careful—" Mira started.
"I'm always careful." She paused at the doorway. "Thanks, Mira. I owe you."
"You owe me three favors now."
"I'll make it four if this works out."
They left.
Once in the corridor, Lucian glanced at her. "You're good at that."
Seraphina raised an eyebrow. "At what?"
"Getting people to do what you want." He kept his tone light, but his slight smile said he'd noticed more than she thought. "Mira barely hesitated."
"Tch. I just know what people care about, that's all." She crossed her arms again, looking away. "Mira cares about protecting students. So I framed it that way. Basic strategy."
Basic strategy. Right. Because you definitely didn't go out of your way to help me specifically. Keep telling yourself that, Sera.
"Still," Lucian said, his voice calm but genuine. "Thank you."
She shot him a look—defensive, like she was expecting mockery. When she didn't find any, her expression shifted. Just slightly.
"...Just don't get used to it." She turned and started walking. "You owe me a spar for this. I'm not doing charity work."
There it is. Can't just accept a thank you like a normal person. Has to turn it into a challenge.
He fell into step beside her, that knowing smile still playing at his lips. "Whenever you're ready."
She glanced at him sharply. "You sound confident. You know I'm going to kick your ass, right?"
"I'm counting on it." He let his voice drop slightly, just enough. "You don't do things halfway."
Her face colored immediately.
[AFFECTION INCREASED]
Seraphina Ashenblade: 48 → 53
There it is. Direct compliment. Watch her scramble.
"That's—I'm just thorough. It's not about you specifically."
"Right. Thorough."
"You're doing it again." Her voice had an edge to it now.
"Doing what?"
"That thing where you—" She gestured vaguely, flustered. "You know exactly what you're doing."
*Yes. Yes I do.*
"I'm just agreeing with you," he said, perfectly innocent.
"You're mocking me."
"I would never."
"You absolutely are." But there was no real heat in it. Just... resignation. Like she'd accepted this was how their interactions went now. "I hate you."
"We've established that already. Multiple times."
"Good. As long as we're clear."
[AFFECTION INCREASED]
Seraphina Ashenblade: 53 → 55
Crystal clear. You hate me so much your ears are still pink.