The Extra is a Genius!?

Charlotte walked ahead, guiding Noel with a quiet sense of purpose. She didn’t say much at first—just glanced back occasionally to make sure he was still following. The sun was already descending, dyeing the sky a pale orange. They crossed from the heart of Valon to its outer districts, where the stone roads grew thinner, the houses closer together, and the presence of noble crests disappeared.

Noel took in the change of scenery with mild surprise. "Didn’t think we’d be coming all the way out here."

Charlotte smiled faintly. "Yesterday, when I was... interrupted by those men, I found something interesting. I thought this would be a good place to end our little date."

She led him down a narrow alley, then turned a corner. Before them stood a tall, cylindrical tower of smooth gray stone. It rose quietly above the surrounding buildings, somewhat hidden behind the silhouette of the nearby church. A modest sign beside the entrance read: Observatorium Sancta Lux.

"A tower?" Noel blinked.

"A viewing deck," she clarified. "It doesn’t have stairs. It works with mana. You’ll see."

Charlotte bought two tickets from a sleepy old man seated in a booth and handed one to Noel without a word. They stepped onto a circular platform made of polished brass. The moment the gate behind them shut, the platform began to rise with a soft hum of mana.

Noel raised an eyebrow. "I didn’t know something like this existed in Valon."

Charlotte gave him a smug glance. "Surprised?"

"Yeah, actually. I’ve been in Valon longer than you, and I had no idea this was here."

"Maybe you didn’t make time to explore properly," she teased. "Didn’t you already take Elena and Elyra on a few strolls around the city?"

"I did," Noel replied calmly. "It’s pretty normal for couples to go on dates, right?"