The corridor felt longer on the way to the dojo.
Mia walked beside Marianne, slower than before.
Her body held.
Barely.
But enough to move forward.
Each step felt deliberate.
Measured.
Controlled.
Like something inside her was watching every movement, adjusting, correcting.
Stay upright.
Stay composed.
Do not show weakness.
Mia frowned slightly.
That didn't feel like her thought.
Marianne glanced at her.
"You're doing fine."
Mia nodded.
"I know."
The answer came too quickly.
Too clean.
Marianne noticed.
Said nothing.
They reached the double doors.
Muted sounds leaked through.
Movement.
Breathing.
Impact.
Mia's chest tightened slightly.
"What is this?" she asked.
"Training."
"What kind?"
"You'll see."
That wasn't reassuring.
Marianne pushed the door open.
The space inside was wide.
Wooden floor.
High ceiling.
Light pouring in from above.
Bodies moving.
Controlled.
Precise.
Not chaotic.
Not aggressive.
But not soft either.
At the center—
Ludwig.
Mia stopped.
Her breath caught.
Flash.
Forest.
Cold ground.
Arms lifting her.
Him.
He turned.
Saw her.
Recognition.
Immediate.
Neutral.
"On your feet," he said to someone else without looking away.
The room shifted.
Subtly.
Three others stood nearby.
Watching now.
A tall woman first.
Strong stance.
Eyes direct.
Assessing.
A smaller figure beside her.
Still.
Careful.
Already tense.
And a third—
slightly behind.
Quiet.
Observing.
Mia felt it instantly.
Attention.
Not curiosity.
Recognition.
Her pulse rose.
They know me.
Of course they did.
Her jaw tightened slightly.
Inside—
something moved.
Not the sharp edge of the shadow.
Not the crying.
Something else.
Smooth.
Controlled.
A presence stepping forward with perfect timing.
We've done this before.
Mia's posture shifted.
Subtle.
But precise.
Shoulders aligned.
Chin lifted just enough.
Breathing regulated.
The hesitation vanished.
Replaced.
"Hi," she said.
Clear.
Calm.
Almost warm.
Her gaze moved across the room with practiced ease.
"I guess I'm the new one."
The tone was light.
Measured.
Professional.
Ishtar's eyes narrowed slightly.
Octave said nothing.
Aglaë froze.
Ludwig watched.
Still.
Evaluating.
Marianne remained beside Mia.
Silent.
Observing the shift.
Mia took a few steps forward.
Controlled.
Each movement exact.
No wasted energy.
No visible fear.
"I'm Mia," she continued.
A faint smile.
The kind that could fill a stadium.
"I hope I'm not interrupting."
Inside—
silence.
Too clean.
Too organized.
Like a stage had just been set.
Marianne spoke quietly.
"Mia."
Just her name.
Nothing more.
The effect was immediate.
A flicker.
Barely visible.
Something slipped.
A breath—uneven.
The smile faltered.
For less than a second.
But enough.
Ishtar saw it.
Octave noted it.
Aglaë felt it.
And Ludwig—
understood.
There was more than one person standing in front of them.
Mia blinked.
Just once.
The room tilted slightly.
The control wavered.
Inside—
a whisper.
Careful.
They're watching.
Another voice, lower—
Let them.
And deeper still—
something waiting.
Mia straightened again.
The smile returned.
But not quite the same.
"Seriously," she added, softer now.
"Am I interrupting?"
This time—
it sounded like a real question.