The evening light filtered through the tall, arched windows of Villa 3, casting long and golden rays across the polished marble floors. It was a stark contrast to the utilitarian dormitories of the other students. Here, the air was scented with expensive wood polish and the faint, sweet aroma of jasmine. The villa was not just a residence; it was a statement of status that Vane still found difficult to reconcile with his past. He stood by the kitchen island, watching as the staff moved with quiet and practiced efficiency.

Master Marlo, the head chef, was busy at the central prep station. His hands moved with a speed that rivaled a combat specialist as he prepared the foundation for the evening meal. Two maids, Mira and Sarah, hurried between the dining hall and the pantry, their uniform skirts rustling against the stone floors. They were professionals who knew how to navigate the space without disturbing the occupants. Vane watched them for a moment, feeling the strange disconnect between his life in the slums of Oakhaven and this current luxury. He had spent his early years scrounging for scraps in the dirt, and now he had people whose entire existence revolved around his comfort.

Vane walked over to the stove, nodding to Marlo. The chef looked up, offering a respectful inclination of his head. Marlo knew Vane was a resident of the villa, but he also knew Vane had just secured the Rank 5 spot in the theory midterms and held the Rank 3 spot in the overall Academy standings. In Zenith, power commanded respect regardless of bloodline.

"I have prepared the base as you requested, Master Vane," Marlo said, stepping aside to reveal a large pot. "The spices you provided are quite potent. I have never smelled anything with this much heat in the Aurelian kitchens. It is a bold choice for a dinner with the Sol heir."

"Thank you, Marlo," Vane replied. "I will finish it from here. It is a specific flavor from the southern trade routes that I want the others to try."

The chef bowed and retreated to the prep area, leaving Vane to work with the spices. He added the ground turmeric, the pungent cumin, and the crushed red chilies he had sourced from the lower district markets. He was not making anything traditional to the high empire. He was making a dish from the ragged edges of his memory. It was a thick, spiced gravy with soft boiled eggs, a humble dish elevated by the quality of the villa ingredients. As he stirred the pot, the aroma filled the kitchen. It was a sharp and savory scent that promised warmth and a bite that most nobles would find alarming.

Soon, the sound of footsteps echoed from the main hallway. Valerica and Isole entered first, their presence immediately shifting the energy of the room. Valerica had discarded her formal academy blazer, wearing a simple silk blouse that matched the deep violet of her eyes. Isole followed, her dark green hair loose and her mismatched eyes scanning the room with their usual detached intensity. Ashe was the last to arrive, stomping into the room with her silver hair messy and a look of pure hunger on her face.

"It smells like someone started a fire in here," Ashe noted, leaning over the counter to sniff the pot. "What is that? It does not look like the gray mush they serve in the Red Tower."

"It is a spiced egg dish," Vane said, plating the food and handing the first dish to Valerica. "It is meant to be eaten with the flatbread Marlo prepared. Be careful with the heat, Ashe. It is stronger than what you are used to."

They moved to the large mahogany dining table, where the maids had already set the places with silver cutlery and crystal glasses. It was a surreal sight. A high noble lady, a saint of paradox, an Oni warlord, and a strategist from the slums were all sitting together in a private villa. The staff moved silently in the background, filling glasses with chilled water and ensuring the side dishes were within reach.

Current Class Standings:

Valerica Sol: Rank 3 (SA / GPA)

Isole Sylvaris: Rank 4 (GPA)

Vane: Rank 5 (GPA), Rank 3 (Practical)

Ashe Razar: Rank 25 (GPA)

Valerica took a small, elegant bite of the food. She paused, her eyes widening slightly as the heat of the spices hit her palate. She took a quick sip of water before nodding. "It is intense," she admitted. "But the flavor is deep. It is unlike anything the imperial chefs produce. They prefer subtle, creamy textures. This feels more alive."

"It matches the cook," Isole observed, eating her portion with clinical precision. "The spice triggers an immediate mana reaction. It clears the channels. It is a very logical meal to eat before a descent into a damp environment like the fungal caverns."

Ashe did not bother with the cutlery. She tore a large piece of the bread and used it to scoop up the gravy and half an egg, shoving it into her mouth. She let out a low growl of satisfaction, her red eyes bright with delight. "This is what I have been missing," she rasped. "Everything in this empire tastes like wet cardboard. This actually has a kick to it."

For the next hour, the squad drifted into a state of rare relaxation. They talked about the absurdity of the Blue Tower social rituals and the strange habits of the academy instructors. They laughed as Ashe recounted her latest attempt to spar with an upperclassman who had ended up crying in the locker rooms. Vane watched them, feeling the threads of their friendship tightening. They were no longer just a business arrangement or a tactical partnership. They were a unit.

"I have been thinking," Ashe said, leaning back in her chair and wiping her mouth with a linen napkin. "I am done with the name."

Vane raised an eyebrow. "The name?"

"The Rat," Ashe said, her voice dropping its usual sharp edge. "It was funny at first, but it does not fit anymore. A rat does not take the fifth spot on the theory leaderboard or hold Rank 3 in the practical standings. A rat does not master techniques that should be impossible for someone at your level. You are just Vane now. I think you have earned that much from me."

Vane felt a quiet sense of satisfaction. Valerica and Isole had already stopped using the moniker, but hearing it from Ashe was the final step. "I appreciate that, Ashe," he said. "I was starting to think I should buy a tail just to lean into the bit."

"Do not get too arrogant," Valerica warned, though there was a rare softness in her gaze. "You still have to lead us through those fungal floors. If you lead us into a dead end, I will go back to calling you far worse things than a rat."

The dinner eventually came to an end as the clock on the wall chimed the late hour. Valerica stood up, smoothing her skirt with a practiced motion. "It is late," she said. "Isole and I need to return to our towers for the final mana attunement. We cannot afford to be sluggish during the gear check tomorrow."

Isole rose as well, her red and green eyes meeting Vane's eyes. "The meal was appreciated, Vane. It provided a necessary grounding. We will see you at dawn."

Valerica looked at Ashe and then at Vane. "Do not stay up too late, either of you. I know you both have a tendency to obsess over your gear and your maps. The descent requires a rested mind. Good night."

"Good night," Vane replied.

The two women left, their footsteps echoing down the hallway until the heavy front door clicked shut. The maids began to clear the table, moving with silent efficiency under Master Marlo's watchful eye. Vane and Ashe remained in the lounge, the silence of the villa feeling much larger now that the others were gone. Ashe stayed for a few more minutes, sipping the last of her water.

"You are a strange one, Vane," she said. "Most people would have taken that high ranking and preened like a peacock. You just went back to the kitchen to cook eggs."

"I know where I came from, Ashe," Vane said. "A number on a board does not change the fact that I had to fight for every breath I took for fifteen years in Oakhaven."

Ashe nodded, standing up. "I am going too. I want to sharpen my blade one last time. See you tomorrow, Vane."

She headed out, leaving Vane alone in the lounge. He dismissed the staff and walked to the balcony, looking toward the horizon. He closed his eyes, and the memories surged to the surface. He remembered the smell of boiled cabbage and the sickly sweet scent of a body giving up on living.

He remembered his mother, Helena, sitting in her wheelchair. He remembered her scolding him for holding his fork like a shovel and calling him a frog in a well who thought the circle of sky was the universe. He remembered the cold knot in his stomach when the iron gates melted and the Sentinel, Gareth, walked into their courtyard.

Vane remembered the blinding radiance of the Radiant Arc that Gareth had swung not at her, but through their home. Helena had been collateral damage, an ant stepped on by a giant who did not even look down. Gareth's only comment when Vane screamed that he had killed her was that she was "in the way". Vane remembered digging her out of the rubble with his bare hands and burying her in a muddy hole.

"I am out of the well, Mom," Vane whispered into the night. "I am standing in a palace."

Then his thoughts turned to Senna. She was his mentor and his lover, the woman who had found him in that wake of blood and beaten the Argent Horizon into his bones. He remembered their pact they had made before she died. She had told him not to build a shrine, but to sharpen his art on the throats of those who left them behind.

"I will be the best," Vane promised, his voice cracking the silence of the balcony. "I will be the best for you, Helena, because you died in the dirt so I could see the light. And I will be the best for you, Senna, because you made me into a blade that can finally strike back."

He looked toward the dark elevators of Sector 9, the gateways to the Hollows. He was ready. He was no longer the boy who watched his mother die.

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