Chapter 94: The Watch That Broke
The Vanguard Stars' temporary office inside the Spire smelled of ink and old parchment. Late-morning sunlight came through a narrow window, falling across the heavy mahogany desk in the center of the room.
Alex closed the door behind him and walked directly to the chair opposite Sophie. He didn't wait for the guildmaster to ask him to sit. He crossed the room, pulled out the high-backed leather chair, and sat down.
Instead of hiding his injury, Alex lifted his right hand, still wrapped in fresh white linen, and placed it flat on the desk between them.
Sophie watched the movement. Her sharp eyes stayed on the white bandages against the dark wood.
"You wanted the truth," Alex said, keeping his voice steady despite the dull ache in his palm.
"I did."
Sophie leaned back in her chair. Reaching into the inner pocket of her guild coat, she pulled out a small box lined with black velvet and pushed it across the desk.
Inside lay the shattered and blackened remains of her silver Aether-Reader.
"I overrode the Arc-Cannon safety locks yesterday because I wanted to see what you were hiding," Sophie said. "My reader didn't break simply because you caught that Arc-Cannon shot. It broke because, at the moment of impact, it detected three completely different sources of power inside you."
Alex kept his expression neutral.
"The reader detected an ordinary mana core," Sophie continued, raising one finger. "Nothing unusual for a first-year noble."
She raised a second finger.
"Then it found another source, much larger than your own core, feeding mana into you."
Her expression became more serious as she raised a third finger.
"And finally, just before the glass cracked, it found something else. Something foreign, close to your heart. Whatever it was, it didn't feel like ordinary human magic."
Alex didn't look away.
There was no way he could tell Sophie about the System or the North Nail. He needed to give her enough of the truth without revealing the important parts.
"The Edelhart family has an inherited artifact," Alex said smoothly, referring to the Essence Spring without naming it. "It acts as a secondary reserve. And during the Blackwood expedition, I found a hidden piece inside the tomb. It merged with my center and changed the way my mana works."
Sophie stared at him for a few seconds.
She clearly knew he wasn't telling her everything.
"Fair enough. You survive, and you keep your secrets," Sophie said, closing the velvet box. "The Vanguard Stars are officially offering you provisional guild membership. We will give you access to our elite combat instructors, priority on lucrative monster contracts, and our internal intelligence network."
She paused before continuing.
"In return, Vanguard gets the right of first refusal on your future services after graduation. We also require the right to inspect and catalog any newly discovered relics or artifacts you find while operating under our banner."
Alex immediately pulled his bandaged hand back from the desk.
"No relic inspections," he countered. "Any hidden piece or artifact I secure in a dungeon belongs to me, without guild oversight. Furthermore, I want strict confidentiality regarding my abilities, unrestricted access to guild-controlled dungeons, and Vanguard's full legal support."
Sophie raised an eyebrow.
"Legal support for what? You're a student, not a smuggler."
"For when the Church finally decides the rumors about my sudden power jump mean I signed a demonic contract," Alex said bluntly.
Sophie stared at him for a second before a sharp, genuine laugh escaped her.
"You have a terrifying amount of nerve, Edelhart. You walk in here, a first-year student who nearly blew his own arm off yesterday, and try to dictate terms to a top-tier imperial guild."
"He didn't just almost blow his arm off."
A new voice came from the doorway.
The heavy oak door opened, and Cassandra stepped inside. The combat instructor didn't wait for an invitation. She walked straight to the desk and dropped a medical tablet in front of Alex.
"The infirmary finished its report," Cassandra said. "The burn on your right palm isn't the main problem. Catching that cannon put too much strain on your mana pathways. There are heat fractures running through them, and your core is still overloaded."
Alex glanced down at the tablet, but he did not need Cassandra's report to confirm the damage.
In the corner of his vision, the blue interface of his newly purchased System gauge flashed its warning.
[Kinetic Saturation: 42% Remaining]
[Warning: Defective circuit shows heat fractures]
"I can still fight," Alex said, looking up at Cassandra.
"You can barely keep the heat under control," Cassandra corrected him sharply. "I have received official authorization from the Academy to supervise your tournament training. I will help you prepare for the Knight Department, but only if you follow my restrictions. If you try to absorb another heavy impact before your mana pathways recover, I will personally pull your name from the tournament roster."
Alex looked at the glowing 42% on his internal saturation gauge. The dull ache in his chest proved she wasn't exaggerating the risk.
"I accept the limits," Alex said, shifting his gaze back toward Sophie. "And my terms for the guild?"
Sophie leaned back and interlaced her fingers. She looked at the medical report, then at Alex's bandaged hand, and finally met his eyes.
"You want a top guild to back your legal standing against the Inquisition and keep your secrets safe," Sophie said. "Fine. But a student doesn't get to demand those clauses without proving he can actually survive."
She pulled a blank sheet of parchment from her desk drawer and placed it in front of Alex.
"Here is a conditional offer," Sophie told him. "You defeat Ivan Baker in the tournament final. You do it cleanly, using only your own abilities and standard academy gear—no external artifacts, no hidden reservoirs. Win that duel on those terms, and the Vanguard Stars will sign your confidentiality clause exactly as you requested without further questions or delays."