The mage hesitated, as if deciding whether to let her in. Leila knew that her future hung in the balance, and she couldn’t afford to lose.

“What’s there to explain? You’re heading to the Academy, though I told you not to,” Lord Alderic muttered.

“Yes, I plan to go to the Academy, but why do you say I shouldn’t?” Leila asked, her frustration clear. “Last time, you left so quickly without explaining why. You just said that the Academy destroyed my mother. How?”

The man froze for a moment, pondering Leila’s words, and his expression softened.

“Come in,” he said with a sigh, opening the door wider. “I’ll explain everything.”

Lord Alderic allowed Leila to step inside, and the massive door slowly closed behind them, shutting out the noise and bustle of the city. Inside, the mansion was luxurious but neglected. High ceilings were adorned with intricate moldings, the walls covered in expensive, though faded, wallpaper, and everywhere were dusty antique furniture and artifacts.

Leila had never seen such opulent rooms before, but she could feel the emptiness and abandonment within them. The dim light filtering through the heavy curtains added to the somber atmosphere. Portraits of Alderic ancestors lined the walls, watching her every step.

“Follow me,” Lord Alderic grumbled, leading her deeper into the mansion. Leila obediently followed, her gaze constantly drawn to the paintings and the antique objects scattered around.

“Why do you say I don’t belong in the Academy?” she finally asked, unable to bear the silence.

“Not very patient, are you?” Lord Alderic remarked sarcastically.

Leila huffed in annoyance and looked at a portrait depicting a proud mage with a serious expression on his face.

“That’s Lord Valerian Alderic,” Lord Alderic said, pointing to the painting. “A great mage and scholar who, in ancient times, discovered many ways to use the runes of the Futhark. His research into elemental magic made our family one of the most respected mage clans of the time.”

*Just what I need\!* thought Leila, studying the portrait with interest.

They continued walking, and soon they came upon another portrait. This time, it depicted a military commander in full armor.

“And this is General Reynard Alderic,” Lord Alderic continued. “A legendary commander who led the kingdom’s army to victory in the Great War against the northern tribes. His tactical genius and use of magic in battle earned him fame and respect. Under his leadership, our family rose to prominence not only for our magical abilities but also for our military prowess.”

Leila listened attentively, her gaze drifting over the portraits. Despite their tragic fate, she couldn’t help but admire these people.

“The curse placed on our family,” Lord Alderic continued, “has turned each of our lives into a constant struggle. I’m the last of the Alderics, ever since Doomsday claimed my brother’s life. We were cursed, and this curse spreads to anyone who gets too close to our legacy.”

Leila froze, realizing the depth of the tragedy that had befallen this ancient family. Her heart ached for Lord Alderic, but she also understood that these revelations wouldn’t make her path to uncovering her parents’ secrets any easier.

They passed through several dark corridors, lit only by the dim glow of magical lamps. Their light was barely visible, as the energy in them was clearly running out—they desperately needed recharging. Leila had expected to see something impressive: shelves filled with magical artifacts, glowing runes on the walls, and strange mechanisms—it was, after all, the mansion of a mage clan. However, both the mansion and the study turned out to be rather ordinary. The spacious room was cluttered with antique furniture, the desk was buried under piles of papers, and along the wall stood a few ordinary bookshelves overflowing with books. Leila glanced at them with greed, wondering if the tome on runes she needed might be among them.

“Come in, sit down,” Lord Alderic said, gesturing toward a chair across from his cluttered desk.

Leila walked inside, looking around, and sat in the chair he offered. Her expression betrayed her confusion, and Lord Alderic noticed it.

“Because of the curse, I avoid using magic,” he explained as he settled into his chair behind the desk. “I’m not offering tea—you won’t be staying long.”

Leila nodded. She watched as Lord Alderic sat at his desk, piled high with an assortment of papers. It became clear that, though he could no longer practice magic, his theoretical studies were ongoing. The results, however, didn’t seem particularly promising—some papers were stained with wine, and empty bottles and dirty glasses littered the space. Leila pretended not to notice the disarray.

“So, I’m convinced that you have no place in the Academy,” Lord Alderic began. “If you think it’s a ticket to a better future, I hate to disappoint you—it’s a ticket to slavery. The Academy has long been divided among the clans. Before you even realize it, you’ll be in eternal debt to them. Why do you think they take talented mages without clans? To use them for their own purposes, dumping all the dirty work on them, while your debt will keep growing and growing.”

Leila frowned, her eyes narrowing and her lips pressed into a stubborn line.

“I’m sure you’re exaggerating,” she countered, trying not to let his grim predictions get to her.

Lord Alderic, smiling with a sly grin, leaned forward, folding his hands on the desk.

“And I’m sure you’re underestimating it,” he said slowly, his eyes gleaming as though he was reading her thoughts. “You’re still young and don’t understand how our world works. And I want to ensure that you never have to.”

Leila wanted to say he was too late—she had seen plenty in the orphanage. Yes, she had witnessed people falling into slavery; there were even a few cases with children from their orphanage. But she still believed the Academy was different. After all, weren’t subsidies provided to sponsor places for clanless mages? Danger existed everywhere—that was just the reality of life. You couldn’t avoid it entirely.

“I can decide for myself whether I want to know that world or not,” she declared firmly.

Lord Alderic sighed, leaning back in his chair. His eyes darkened for a moment, as though he was recalling something painful.

“Yes, you can, but it’s within my power to stop you,” he said, his voice quiet but firm. “I simply won’t give you the book you need, and you won’t be able to get into the Academy.”

Leila realized that arguing with people like him was pointless; you could only agree with them. It was like dealing with Madame Grimm—you had to be cunning, not confrontational. For now, she decided to change the subject.

"You said you knew my mother?" she asked, her voice growing softer, as it always did whenever she spoke of her mother. And, it seemed, this had the same effect on Lord Alderic. He sighed, his gaze warming, and he leaned back in his chair, letting go of some of his tension.

“Yes, I knew her,” he admitted. “Ilina Stormhart was an exceptional Serena and a true scholar. Her thirst for knowledge and courage in her research were truly inspiring. We worked together on several projects. She was always striving for new discoveries, never afraid to take risks.”

Leila listened, captivated. In every word, she recognized her mother—yes, she had been like that, smart and brave. Leila’s eyes welled with tears when she heard Lord Alderic call her mother a “Serena.” That title was used only for mage women whose power and abilities were acknowledged and respected.

“How did her Journal end up with you?” Leila asked, her voice trembling slightly.

Lord Alderic hesitated, his gaze drifting off into the distance, as if he were seeing something invisible to her.

“Doomsday,” he said, his voice heavy with sorrow. “She came to me shortly before it happened, warning me, but I, like a fool, didn’t listen.” Lord Alderic glanced around, searching for a bottle with some wine left, and when he found one, he poured himself a glass. He drank it in one gulp. “Your mother was special. Her research could have changed our world, but I realized it too late. She asked me to keep her Journal safe and give it to her when it was all over. But in the end, there was no one left to give it to…”

Listening to his story, the tenderness with which he spoke of her mother, and seeing the pain reflected on his face when he mentioned her death, Leila began to suspect that Lord Alderic’s feelings for her mother had not been purely professional. But she didn’t bring it up. Instead, she asked:

“Why did you give me the Journal, then?”

Lord Alderic smirked.

“I drank too much wine that night, girl. I simply mistook you for your mother. By the time I realized what I’d done, it was too late. Were you able to read it? I never could, no matter how hard I tried.”

“A little. My mother wrote that I’m not ready to read it fully yet. I need to become stronger, and to do that, I have to get into the Academy,” Leila said, her resolve tightening as she clenched her fists.

Lord Alderic looked at her indifferently, his eyes taking on the familiar gleam from the wine he had consumed.

“I’m sorry. It seems you won’t be reading her Journal,” he said, resolutely determined to prevent her from attending the Academy.

“Thank you for telling me,” Leila replied, her voice firm. “But I won’t give up on my goal.”

Lord Alderic looked at Leila with a faint smile, his eyes reflecting mixed emotions—respect and concern.

“It’s time for you to go. I’m sure you have plenty of work to do,” he said, reaching once again for the bottle. It seemed he planned on drinking himself into a stupor, and her presence was only getting in the way.

Leila nodded and stood up from her seat.

“Of course. But let me do something kind for you in return for sharing what you did about my mother,” she offered. “I’d like to help you with the lamps. I noticed a few on my way in, and they clearly need recharging.”

Lord Alderic waved his hand in agreement.

“Do as you please. But if you get lost, no runes will help you find your way. The circuits have been shut off for a long time,” he said, his tone more warning than stern.

“All right, I’ll be careful,” Leila promised, but in her mind, thoughts were already swirling. She’d heard of rune circuits that worked like navigators. Could her sticks be something similar?

She considered that it might not be a bad idea to find a book on rune navigation. Surely nothing would go wrong if she recharged the lamps in the library and then just happened to stumble upon the right book and take a quick peek?

*Of course nothing will happen*, Leila decided as she set off to recharge the lamps, starting with the corridors.