Chapter 661
Back in his dorm room, Liam stepped out of the washroom, faint steam still rolling off his body as he dragged a towel through his damp hair, drying it just enough to keep it from dripping. His movements were unhurried, controlled, as he crossed the room. The space was brightly lit, the afternoon sun pouring in through the windows in long, golden beams that stretched across the floor and up the walls.
Reaching his wardrobe, Liam let the towel fall onto his bed before pulling the doors open. He scanned briefly, then picked out a simple shirt to go with the pants he already wore. As he slipped it on and began fastening the buttons, his expression remained as calm and unreadable as ever.
"Hey there, Mabel," he said evenly, not turning his head.
Behind him, near the door, Mabel materialized out of thin air as she always did—silent and seamless. She stood there in her Royal Corps attire, posture straight, presence composed, and her masked gaze fixed on him. Through the mask, her hazel-brown eyes watched him carefully.
"Seems you don't plan to train as long as usual today," she remarked, her tone steady.
"Yeah," Liam replied simply, continuing to button his shirt. "Today's the last day. I'll need some time to recover."
Mabel studied him for a brief moment before speaking again.
"I suppose that makes sense," she said. "Anyway, since you're finally heading out, and considering you've barely stepped outside your dorm aside from the training hall—I figured you should know a few things before you do."
"Go ahead," Liam acknowledged calmly. "I'm listening."
Mabel paused, not because she lacked the information, but because she found herself adjusting, once again, to the subtle yet undeniable shift in him.
If she had thought Liam seemed more mature after waking from his six-month slumber, or even after his Ascension a week ago, then what stood before her now was something beyond that. There was a deeper stillness to him. A sharper sense of control. He wasn't just composed—he was settled.
And she was still getting used to it.