Knowledge is power. Tonight, someone decided to use it against her.
The academy library was never fully quiet.
Even past midnight, when most students were asleep, the place still felt alive. Magic lingered in the air, faint but constant, like something buried in the pages was still breathing.
Aira Valen stood at the entrance, hand resting on the heavy wooden door.
She shouldn't be here.
Not this late. Not after everything that had happened.
But something pulled her in.
Not a voice. Not exactly.
More like instinct.
Knowledge. Power. Something hidden.
Her Devour stirred, reacting to the thick magic leaking through the walls. It felt stronger than usual. Dense. Almost addictive.
Aira let out a quiet breath.
"Just a quick look," she said.
She didn't believe that herself.
Nothing in this academy was ever simple.
She pushed the door open.
Inside, the library stretched endlessly. Rows of towering shelves, glowing scrolls, old books sealed behind layers of magic.
Except tonight, those barriers weren't stable.
They flickered.
Weak.
Aira frowned. "Someone's been here."
She walked deeper, heading straight for the restricted section.
Normally, she wouldn't get this far. Guards, enchantments, something would stop her.
Tonight, nothing did.
The air grew heavier the further she went. Magic pressed against her skin, testing her.
Her Devour reacted immediately.
Hungry.
Curious.
Dangerous.
She stopped in front of a floating book.
It hovered mid-air, glowing faint blue. No seal. No lock.
Too easy.
Aira reached out anyway.
The moment her fingers touched it, magic exploded through her.
Her vision blurred. Her pulse spiked.
Then her Devour kicked in.
She absorbed everything.
Not just the energy.
The knowledge.
It didn't just enter her mind. It fused into her.
Spell structures. Formulas. Techniques no first-year should even recognize.
Aira steadied her breathing, eyes wide for a second.
"…That's insane."
This wasn't just power anymore.
She was devouring knowledge itself.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Slow, deliberate.
Aira froze.
"Well. You're more interesting than I expected."
The voice echoed through the shelves, calm and sharp at the same time.
Aira turned.
Lucien Valtor stepped out from the shadows.
S-rank. Top of the academy. And lately, always watching her.
"You broke into the restricted section," he said, almost casually. "Absorbed forbidden knowledge… and didn't collapse."
Aira crossed her arms. "You're here too."
Lucien smiled slightly. "This place doesn't open on its own."
Her eyes narrowed. "So you did this."
"Partly."
Too calm. Too confident.
Too planned.
Lucien took a step closer.
"Do you know what happens," he said, voice dropping, "when a first-year gets caught stealing restricted knowledge?"
Aira didn't answer.
She knew.
Expulsion if she was lucky.
Something worse if she wasn't.
"I could report you," Lucien continued. "Right now."
Silence stretched.
Heavy.
Aira didn't react.
Then she smiled.
"You won't."
Lucien paused, just slightly. "Oh?"
"If you wanted to report me, you would've done it already."
A beat.
Then Lucien laughed under his breath. "Fair."
He circled her slowly, studying her.
"You're dangerous," he said. "More than people realize."
Aira shrugged. "So are you."
He stopped in front of her.
"That's the difference," he said quietly. "I control mine."
Aira's smile sharpened. "Are you sure?"
Before he could answer, she reached for another book.
Darker. Heavier.
Definitely forbidden.
The moment she touched it, the magic hit harder.
Her knees almost gave out.
But she held on.
Forced it in.
Absorbed everything.
New structures filled her head. Complex spell layering. Energy control far beyond basic Devour.
Her breathing slowed again.
Her body adjusted.
Evolved.
Lucien's expression shifted, just a little.
"…You're insane."
Aira smirked. "Not the first time I've heard that."
"Then maybe someone should remind you how far you're pushing it."
A new voice cut in.
Cold. Familiar.
Aira didn't turn.
Ren Kael stepped out of the shadows, eyes locked on Lucien.
Sharp. Possessive. Warning.
"What are you doing here?" Lucien asked, amused.
Ren ignored him.
His attention shifted to Aira.
"You shouldn't be here alone."
Aira raised a brow. "I'm not alone."
Ren's jaw tightened. "That's the problem."
The tension snapped tight between the three of them.
None of them backed down.
None of them looked away.
And none of them noticed—
they weren't alone.
Far behind a shelf, two students watched, barely breathing.
"Did you see that…?" one whispered.
"All three of them…"
By morning, this would be everywhere.
Aira in the restricted library.
With two S-rank elites.
Nothing stayed hidden in this academy.
Lucien exhaled slowly. "Well. This just got interesting."
He looked at Aira again.
"Here's my offer."
"I don't like offers."
"You will."
His voice dropped slightly.
"I keep tonight quiet."
A pause.
"And in return, I get to study you."
Ren's expression darkened instantly. "No."
Aira didn't answer right away.
Because she understood what this really was.
Not just blackmail.
Opportunity.
Dangerous, but useful.
She stepped forward, meeting Lucien's gaze.
"You want to study me?" she said.
Lucien nodded.
Aira smiled.
"Then keep up."
Her Devour flared.
Hard.
The entire section reacted. Books rattled. Magic surged.
Something deeper inside the library shifted.
A low sound echoed through the walls.
Then—
a hidden door creaked open in the dark.
Cold air spilled out from whatever lay beyond.
Aira's eyes locked onto it.
Excitement.
Curiosity.
Hunger.
"If knowledge is power…" she murmured,
"…then I'm taking everything this place tried to hide."
And this time—
she didn't hesitate.