The dishes served on the table, as usual, were lavish. Each course was prepared with absolute dedication by the Ganko Family's private chef—a culinary expert with decades of experience who devoted his skills to satisfying the palates of the three nobles.
Meanwhile, Andrea and the other servants stood poised in the corner of the room. They were ready to serve and execute any command that might be issued by the three nobles enjoying their meal.
To Shiki, it wasn't the facilities or the school's reputation that made it the "best"; it was her own presence. She believed herself exceptional enough to elevate the status of any institution in the country simply by being a student there. This answer aligned perfectly with her arrogant and egocentric nature, which she intentionally projected to avoid triggering suspicion. While Shiki's answer wasn't a lie, it certainly wasn't the whole truth.
Although her parents doted on her to the point of near-worship, they were far from ordinary people. Shinsei held massive power within Ignisira's political sphere—enough to bring the gears of government to a halt without his consent. Meanwhile, Emberlyn was a queen of the global economy, capable of bankrupting a small nation with a single word. Together, they had raised the Ganko Family to become the most influential noble house in the world, surpassing even the heights of their ancestral glory.
Shiki knew that given their deep affection, a half-truth would not arouse their suspicion. Though she respected her parents, she believed she was clever enough to mask her true intentions from them. After all, she was someone who had managed to reach the pinnacle of power in the Procession Tower in just a few years, starting from a position no higher than common trash.
"In that case, leave everything to Mother. If you need anything at all, just tell us. Anything, okay?" Emberlyn said softly.
"Hmm... I know. Father, Mother, you don't need to worry about that." Shiki nodded, looking at her doting parents. These two figures were feared and respected by the world, yet before her, they were merely parents overflowing with love. For a moment, Shiki felt a pang of pity, realizing that in three years, she would not be able to see them—or Andrea—ever again. Only those aged between 10 and 20 would be teleported to the Procession Tower. Throughout her life in the Tower, Shiki had never heard a single word about a way back to Ignisira, nor even a logical explanation regarding the world they were trapped in.
However, as time passed, that unease slowly faded. Compared to the brutal life in the Procession Tower, their home world was far safer, even for a family as powerful as the Gankos.
Furthermore, Shiki knew one thing for certain: when the Brides' War truly began, the power and influence of the Ganko Family would not be enough to protect everyone. The authority of the old world held no fangs in that place.
This realization was the primary reason Shiki chose Vespera.
She no longer viewed the world through the eyes of a spoiled girl who assumed everything would fix itself. Years of survival had taught her one simple reality: in the Procession Tower, individual strength alone was not enough. Without a faction, without confidants, one was merely waiting for their turn to be destroyed.
The Procession Tower was too vast to be ruled by a single party. The struggle for territory and resources was constant, and inter-faction conflicts never truly ceased. When the Bride War broke out, those who survived were not necessarily the strongest individuals, but those surrounded by people ready to fight and die by their side.
Shiki knew exactly who the future axes of power would be.
The current rulers of the Procession Tower—those whose names were feared—were, at this point in time, still sitting in high school classrooms. Shiki had faced them directly, or at least recognized their faces from her memories and past records. Of all of them, only those with power levels equal to or slightly below her own would be truly useful once the Bride War commenced.
Eighty percent of them attended Vespera, or were about to enroll there.
And nearly all of them—ninety-eight percent—did not come from noble families. They were just ordinary children living without the spotlight, without luxury, without the protection of a great name. Conversely, Shiki could hardly remember a single graduate from her own school in her previous life who managed to survive more than ten years in the Procession Tower.
The reason was clear.
Vespera wasn't merely the best high school in Ignisira because of its facilities, but because of the quality of the people forged within it. To enter, one had to pass intelligence exams that made university students stumble, and personality tests designed to strip away a candidate's true character. Not even noble children received special treatment; government support only made the selection at Vespera more cutthroat.
It was no wonder that Vespera graduates became the best of the best. The academic and mental pressure they faced from an early age formed individuals who were tough, quick to adapt, and resilient. That kind of character was what survived best in the Procession Tower. In contrast, noble children accustomed to being coddled would crumble the moment their family's power no longer mattered.
Shiki saw an opportunity she could not ignore.
If she successfully entered Vespera, the power of the Ganko Family would make it easy for her to create debts of gratitude among the brilliant students there. A small favor, subtle protection, or simply the right influence—she could use it all to sow the seeds of loyalty.
Shiki was immensely confident in her charm. Her face, her demeanor, and her decades of experience in the Procession Tower gave her the ability to read the human heart, especially teenagers who had never experienced a world that cruel. Controlling them would not be difficult.
Thus, even before the teleportation began, Shiki could build massive control over the Nagawira who would eventually become the main force in the Procession Tower.
And this time, she would not be alone.
"I'll be heading back to my room now. It was nice talking with you, Father, Mother," she said.
"Hm..." Shinsei nodded.
"Ah, Shiki? Your father and I apologize for not being able to have dinner with you today," Emberlyn said with a look of regret.
"It's fine. Andrea will keep me company for dinner. See you tomorrow morning, Father, Mother." Without waiting for an answer, Shiki turned and walked toward her room.