Chapter 37: Too Many Candles, Unwanted Outings & Social Maneuvering

Chapter 37: Too Many Candles, Unwanted Outings & Social Maneuvering

⸻

Magnus knew Tobias was up to something.

He just didn't know what—yet.

He had been in the training hall, finishing a solo round of endurance drills, when Tobias had appeared out of nowhere and clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"Come on," Tobias had said, grinning like he was about to start trouble. "We're getting Jessica."

Magnus had barely had time to respond before Tobias had already started walking, fully expecting him to follow.

And despite knowing better, he had.

Now, walking through the halls of the academy dormitories, Magnus finally sighed. "Why are we doing this?"

"To notify Jessica about the demon envoy," Tobias said, far too innocently.

Magnus raised an eyebrow. "She already knows, doesn't she?"

Tobias just smiled wider. "That's not the point."

Magnus exhaled. "You just want to bother her."

"Obviously."

Magnus had no idea why Tobias had dragged him along for this, but at this point, resisting was pointless.

They reached the female dormitory, where Tobias knocked on Jessica's door.

No response.

He knocked again. "Jessica, open up."

Silence.

Magnus was about to say something about that when Tobias, entirely unfazed, just walked in.

"I don't think that's how knocking works," Magnus muttered, stepping inside after him.

And that was when he saw them.

Candles.

Hundreds of them.

⸻

Jessica was sitting cross-legged on the floor, methodically carving a candle.

She looked up at them, blinking. "Oh. It's you."

Tobias stopped just inside the doorway, slowly scanning the room.

"...Jessica," he said at last, turning to her. "What the hell."

Jessica didn't stop carving. "What?"

Tobias gestured at everything. "This."

Jessica shrugged.

Magnus stepped inside, glancing at the shelves.

The room wasn't just filled with candles.

Some were half-melted. Some were intricately carved.

Several small jars of wax shavings sat neatly labeled on her desk.

Tobias stared.

"This wasn't like this last time I was here."

"The last time you were here was after the forest."

Tobias frowned. "Yeah. That was, what—two months ago?"

Jessica nodded. "And I've grown fond of candles since then."

Magnus wasn't sure what was weirder.

The fact that this entire collection appeared in two months.

Or the fact that Jessica said it so casually, like it was normal.

Tobias looked at her, then at the hundreds of candles.

"You have a problem," he said flatly.

Jessica finally paused in her carving, looking up at him like he was the one saying something ridiculous. "I like the smell."

"You like the—Jessica. There's hundreds of them."

"Yes."

Tobias picked up a candle, turning it over. His eyebrow twitched when he noticed the carving. "And you carve them?"

Jessica nodded.

"And then you melt them?"

"Yes."

Magnus, watching the argument unfold, reached toward the desk and picked up a small glass jar. Inside were shavings of wax, labeled with what looked like scent notes. He held it up.

"What's this for?"

Jessica glanced at it. "I collect the shavings and melt them into new candles."

Magnus blinked. "So you... mix them?"

"Yes."

Tobias threw up his hands. "So let me get this straight. You carve candles, melt them, save the wax, make a new candle, and then do it again?"

Jessica nodded. "Obviously."

Tobias stared at her.

Magnus noticed a smaller detail that hadn't been mentioned yet.

"You label them," he murmured, noting the precise writing on each jar. "You actually catalog scents."

Jessica shrugged. "It helps."

"...Helps with what?" Tobias asked, incredulous.

Jessica paused.

"I think something's wrong with my nose," she admitted. "Ever since the forest, everything smells funny. I didn't notice at first, but it's been bothering me."

Tobias frowned. "Wait, what?"

Jessica rolled the wax between her fingers absently. "It's not bad, just... everything is sharper now. I don't remember things smelling this strong before."

Magnus glanced at her. "So the candles help?"

Jessica nodded. "Yeah. I just... like sorting through scents. It makes things more manageable."

Tobias folded his arms. "So your solution was to start a candle empire."

Jessica gave him a deadpan look. "Would you rather I say I've developed an intense interest in perfume?"

Tobias snorted. "Honestly, that'd be less weird."

Jessica picked up a candle and threw it at him.

He caught it with ease, smirking.

⸻

Before she could grab another, Tobias smirked and took full advantage of her distraction.

"Oh no, you're not getting off that easy," he said, crossing his arms. "I came here to get you out of your room."

Jessica frowned. "And if I say no?"

Tobias grinned. "That's not an option."

Jessica sighed sharply and stood up. "Fine. What do you want to do?"

Tobias shrugged dramatically. "You tell me."

Jessica thought for a moment. "The library."

Tobias groaned. "Are you actually going to study?"

Jessica shook her head. "No, I can look for other books."

Tobias raised an eyebrow. "Like... candle books?"

Jessica ignored him.

Magnus, ever neutral, spoke up. "You like reading?"

Jessica shrugged. "I don't like leaving things unfinished."

Magnus nodded, as if that made perfect sense.

Tobias, meanwhile, already seemed bored with this plan. "Fine. Library it is."

______________

The market was alive with noise and movement, nobles and commoners alike filling the wide streets lined with stalls.

Jessica wasn't particularly interested in any of it.

She walked beside Tobias—not by choice, but because Tobias was making sure of it.

Hannelore moved effortlessly on her other side, her presence perfectly composed, though Jessica could tell her focus wasn't entirely on the market.

Behind them, Magnus followed at an easy pace, hands in his pockets, quietly observing.

And then there was Lucien.

Trailing slightly behind, never quite closing the distance, but never too far.

His presence was heavy.

Jessica didn't like it.

Not because he was dangerous. He wasn't.

But because he wasn't acting like himself.

There was a deliberateness to him today. A focus.

And Jessica was aware that she was at the center of it.

⸻

Tobias noticed immediately.

Jessica could feel it in the way he shifted his stance, the subtle adjustments in his pace.

She knew Tobias was choosing not to say anything—for now.

But she could already tell he was losing patience.

Lucien, of course, wasn't helping.

When they passed a weapons stall, Jessica slowed slightly—not to stop, just out of habit, glancing at the craftsmanship.

Lucien moved immediately.

Before she could step away, he reached past her, picking up a dagger.

Jessica watched, unimpressed.

Lucien turned it over in his hand, inspecting it like it mattered.

Jessica crossed her arms. "Do you need a new weapon?"

Lucien didn't look at her as he gave a small, unreadable smile.

"I don't. But you lingered."

Jessica exhaled sharply.

Tobias, standing beside her, groaned loudly, shoving Jessica forward.

"Oh, for gods' sake. Keep walking."

Jessica let him.

Magnus, watching all of this unfold, still said nothing.

Hannelore, expression unreadable, was definitely paying attention.

⸻

They continued moving, and at some point—Jessica realized Magnus was gone.

She frowned slightly, glancing around. "Where's Magnus?"

Tobias also glanced back, noticing at the same time. "Huh. Don't know."

Jessica tilted her head. "He was just here."

Lucien, walking with careful poise, gave a small shrug. "He'll return if he chooses to."

Jessica frowned at that phrasing.

Magnus was capable. If he wanted to leave, he didn't need permission.

He would return when he felt like it.

For now, she let it go.

⸻

Jessica didn't immediately notice Seraphina standing across the street.

Lucien did.

And that was exactly what Seraphina had been waiting for.

She approached, her attendants keeping a polite distance, her presence deliberate and poised.

Lucien straightened slightly before he even realized he had done it.

Jessica didn't adjust her stance at all.

Seraphina's gaze flickered toward Jessica briefly before settling entirely on Lucien.

"What an unexpected gathering," she said smoothly.

Lucien's expression remained composed, but noticeably rigid. "Seraphina."

Jessica recognized the tension immediately.

Seraphina gave a slow, polite nod. "The market is lively today. I hadn't expected you to be here."

Lucien's posture stiffened slightly. "...Why not?"

Seraphina tilted her head. "You don't typically frequent such places."

Jessica, already done with this conversation, moved slightly toward Tobias, preparing to walk away.

Lucien, however, remained where he was.

And that was exactly what Seraphina had anticipated.

She smiled, adjusting her gloves. "You seem distracted."

Lucien's jaw tensed. "Not at all."

Seraphina's gaze was knowing. "No? You seem very focused on something."

Jessica, who wasn't even engaging in this conversation, started walking.

Lucien hesitated.

It was a fraction of a second. A barely noticeable delay.

But Seraphina caught it.

Her lips curved into a barely-there smirk.

Lucien had hesitated again.

That was all she needed.

⸻

Before Seraphina could press further, a familiar presence rejoined the group.

Magnus.

Jessica turned slightly—just in time to see what he was carrying.

A small box.

Glass beacons, twelve in total, each filled with wax shavings.

Jessica blinked.

Tobias also noticed. His eyebrows raised slightly.

Magnus didn't say anything at first. He simply held out the box to Jessica.

"These might be useful," he said.

Jessica took the box, turning one of the beacons over in her hand. "Where did you find these?"

Magnus shrugged slightly. "A shop off the main street. Figured you hadn't been there."

Jessica wasn't sure how to respond.

These weren't pre-made candles.

Not a flashy or decorative gift.

Something practical. Thoughtful.

Something he knew she'd actually use.

Jessica turned the box over again, studying it.

"I'll use them," she said simply.

Magnus nodded. "Good."

Tobias, watching all of this, exhaled sharply.

"...Huh," he muttered, visibly impressed.

Lucien, watching from the side, still hadn't said a word.

Seraphina, who had been about to continue speaking, had also fallen silent.

Jessica glanced at Lucien.

His expression was unreadable.

But his silence was noticeable.

Seraphina, watching all of this unfold, took in every reaction.

Lucien hadn't just been shown up.

He had been completely ignored.

Jessica wasn't even looking at him anymore.

Seraphina's lips curled into the faintest smirk.

Lucien had hesitated. Again.

And Seraphina was going to use that against him.

________________

Lucien had lost this round.

And Seraphina knew it.

She had watched it unfold in real time—the moment where Jessica completely stopped acknowledging him.

Where Magnus returned, handed Jessica a practical, thought-out gift, and effortlessly outshone Lucien without even trying.

Jessica hadn't hesitated to accept it. She had turned the wax-filled glass beacons over in her hands with mild interest, given her approval in the form of a simple "I'll use them," and that was that.

Lucien had been left standing there. Silent. Overlooked.

And the fact that the whole thing involved candle wax was... confusing.

Seraphina had anticipated many things when she approached.

She had anticipated Lucien hesitating.

She had anticipated Jessica brushing him off.

She had even anticipated Tobias making things difficult.

But she had not anticipated this.

Candle wax?

She studied the box Magnus had given Jessica, brows lowering slightly. She hadn't heard anything about this.

And she would have dismissed it immediately as irrelevant—except for the fact that Tobias of all people seemed impressed by it.

Seraphina didn't like being out of the loop.

It wasn't a feeling she experienced often.

And it was irritating.

⸻

And that was how Seraphina, against her better judgment, found herself standing there, staring at Jessica, saying the first thing that came to mind.

"So," she said smoothly, hands folded, tone composed. "Are you preparing for the demon envoy?"

Jessica, who had been putting the box of wax into her bag, paused.

Then she looked up at Seraphina.

And blinked.

"...The what?"

Seraphina stilled slightly.

There was a brief silence.

Tobias, standing beside Jessica, made an amused noise and looked off to the side, covering his mouth slightly with his fist.

Magnus, ever neutral, glanced between them.

Lucien said nothing.

Jessica frowned slightly, looking at Tobias. "What demon envoy?"

Tobias grinned.

"Oh, right," he said lazily. "Forgot to tell you. There's a demon envoy coming."

Jessica squinted. "Why?"

Seraphina, who had just witnessed Lucien lose in silence to a box of candle wax, had not been prepared for this level of disinterest.

She hesitated. "They're coming because of your strategy report."

Jessica tilted her head slightly, unimpressed. "Why?"

Seraphina's composure didn't falter, but there was a noticeable shift in her expression.

She had been prepared for arrogance.

She had been prepared for nervousness.

She had not been prepared for Jessica to genuinely not care.

"You solved a 2,000-year-old military mystery," Seraphina reminded her, tone careful.

Jessica exhaled shortly. "It was just a problem."

Seraphina's jaw tightened slightly.

Jessica wasn't being humble.

She was being genuinely uninterested.

Seraphina straightened slightly, carefully reevaluating the situation. "You do realize that this envoy is coming to see your work specifically."

Jessica stared at her.

"...And?"

Seraphina had to pause.

Because what the hell was she supposed to say to that?

She had initiated this conversation without thinking, trying to make sense of what she had just witnessed, and now she had trapped herself.

Because now she had to explain why she was the one telling a backwater baron personally.

Seraphina's gaze flickered toward Tobias, who was visibly entertained by all of this.

Lucien was still unnervingly silent.

And Magnus, as usual, looked like he was just waiting to see what happened next.

Seraphina exhaled through her nose, barely a shift in her expression, but Jessica caught it.

"...That's why I notified you," Seraphina finally said, composed but mildly exasperated.

Jessica nodded once. "Understood."

Then she turned back to Magnus and her candles like that was the end of it.

Seraphina blinked.

Jessica was actually done with the conversation.

The backwater baron's daughter—the one who had solved a 2,000-year-old problem, the one now standing next to the most politically relevant figures in the academy—had just dismissed the fact that demons were sending an envoy to personally see her work.

Like it was nothing.

And that was something.

Seraphina glanced at Lucien out of the corner of her eye.

His expression was still unreadable.

But he was watching Jessica.

And for the first time, Seraphina wasn't sure if he was thinking about her—or if he was realizing just how much he had already lost.

She stepped back smoothly.

"...Well," she said. "Enjoy the rest of your day."

Then, without another word, she turned and walked away.