"That's how I entered Blue Star Military Academy. My assignment was to stay invisible. But a bit over a month ago, a new command came down to sabotage this year's entrance exam. That's why I slipped a virus into the game. I didn't expect you to catch it. "After the operation failed, I thought they'd leave me alone for a while. But when I received your file from Valen and reported back, they issued another order: seize you, question you about a key or a stone, and bring you back alive. I don't know what it's for." Jeremy bowed his head, his voice hoarse. "It's the Blue Institute, right?" Thora sounded certain. It came out like a question, but she already knew. Jeremy stiffened briefly, then nodded. "Yeah." Thora's gaze turned heavy. So it really was the Blue Institute. Jeremy was their sleeper agent inside the academy, and the virus in the third round Apocalypse game had been his doing. And the reason he went after her lined up with what happened back in Astralis, they wanted her alive. That meant the Blue Institute wanted more than just the whereabouts of the enhancement stone. Still, them locating this place was not entirely bad news. At least for now, Grandpa's side should be safe. What confused her was Lance. He seemed to have seen through everything and even dropped hints in front of her. Was he simply that sharp, or was his thinking that deep? With no solid proof, he still reasoned his way frighteningly close to the truth. Once she had what she needed, Thora asked nothing more. She stood and said, "The rest, tell it to your former boss." Then she turned and walked out of the interrogation room. Valen, watching from the office, saw her leave and headed in himself. Thora had cracked Jeremy open, and the rest was his responsibility. Thora stepped outside, intending to find Darius, but ran into one of his subordinates instead. He said Darius was in a meeting. She guessed Darius was probably discussing cooperation with the Academy Research Division, so she did not insist and left the administration building. She decided to return to the Command Institute. Classes were not over yet, and if nothing urgent came up, she might as well attend. As soon as she stepped outside, a stone landed near her foot and rolled in a circle. Thora halted. Another faint swish followed. She raised a hand and easily caught the flying object, another stone. It had not been thrown hard, and it did not hurt her palm. She looked up. Someone sat on the rooftop ledge above, angled the same way as before, knees hooked, perched just like last time. But this time he did not look at her. He stared forward, idly turning stones in his hand like a bored child. If not for the two stones, no one would have thought he was the one throwing them. Thora moved toward the roof. The corner of Lance's mouth lifted almost imperceptibly. Hearing her footsteps, he raised his head and played dumb. "Huh? Kid, what are you doing here?" Thora stopped a few steps away, expression calm, eyes on him. She did not answer. Instead, she said two words that surprised him. "Thank you." She always remembered debts. Lance's warning, and the quiet help when she was first attacked, both stayed with her. He blinked, then laughed. "Ash Keller, did you get something mixed up?" Thora said nothing. She had come to thank him. Whether he denied it or rejected the thanks was not her concern.She turned to leave. "Ash, eat with me. One last time," Lance spoke suddenly, without buildup or hint. Thora looked back. Sunlight washed over half his face as he watched her with a faint smile. The other half lay in shadow, unreadable even up close. "Consider it your thank-you. After this meal, we're even." Thora met his eyes, silent for a few seconds, then said, "Okay." At that, his smile did not deepen. It slowly faded until nothing remained. He remembered years ago, praying in a church, when a priest he had known forever asked him, "Lance, do you have a weakness?" "As long as we are human, most of us do. Like a shadow that follows us. But me? I'm the one without a shadow." "No shadow..." The priest sighed. "Only two kinds of people lack shadows. Those standing fully in the sun, and those buried completely in darkness. So, Lance, which are you?" Lance watched Thora. His vision blurred, and a murmur slipped out before he could stop it. "The kind ... standing in full sun, huh..."