The morning light filtered in through the arched windows of the Crydias estate's grand mansion. The living room was expansive—stone columns, velvet drapes, and finely carved wooden beams interwoven with subtle enchantments that made the air feel warm and settled.
The 24 newly acquired girls sat neatly across plush cushions and low couches in a wide semi-circle. They'd had a strange, dreamlike night in the Artifact Room —mystical, silent, and overwhelming. But today was something else entirely. Real. Tactile. Alive.
At the center of the room, three familiar figures stood before them: Aurevia, arms folded and spine straight; Cellione, lounging sideways across a velvet armchair, legs draped over the side; and
Serineth, perched carefully beside a smaller table, quiet but attentive. Auralyne stood slightly to the back, watching everything like a noble advisor, and Virellen was notably missing—out with Alaric on some unknown errand.
Aurevia broke the silence first.
