Several clubs existed within Eclipse.

And there were several ways to get into those clubs.

From aristocrats to commoners, anyone who shared the same interests could join a club of their choice once they received approval from the assigned caretaker.

Some clubs were even used as bases for certain Unions to gather influence.

For example, students from the Miraze Kingdom had their own group named the Miraze Club.

For tonight's meetup, Leon had been invited to one of such clubs by Professor Esther.

The club was called the Luntara Circle.

It was a special club established under the direct supervision of Professor Esther herself, composed of students known for their remarkable minds.

Leon stepped out of his dorm building.

When he looked up, the first thing he saw was a full white moon staring down at him.

The moonlight spilled across the cobblestone road, tracing the figures of those walking on it.

Though the streets of Eclipse were lined with street lamps, the glow of the moon was bright enough to dull their light.

Tugging his hands inside his coat pockets, Leon paused for a moment and looked at the map posted on the board just at the corner of the road.

"It's not too far from here," he muttered quietly.

He sighed, then began walking in the direction Esther had told him.

The club was located close to the student dorms, barely ten minutes away on foot.

After walking for about seven minutes, Leon stopped in front of what looked like a small private house surrounded by iron rails.

It had red roofs, white walls, and a quiet garden visible from the gate.

Even at night, the entire area was well lit.

'Is this really it?' Leon thought, staring at the building.

At Eclipse, most clubs only had spaces the size of a classroom.

Having an entire building with its own grounds was rare.

However, some clubs managed it by securing sponsorships.

And given Professor Esther's reputation, it was not surprising that her club received such support.

Leon turned his head and saw an engraved plate on the outer wall that read…

Luntara Circle Research and Club.

Leon stared at the metallic text for a moment before showing his invitation letter to the guard.

After verifying it, the guard nodded and allowed him to enter.

Passing through the small garden, Leon stopped at a single wooden door.

From up close, the place looked even larger and more refined than he expected.

Knock. Knock.

He tapped on the door twice.

"Coming," a voice called from the other side.

Leon subconsciously adjusted his coat.

The door opened, revealing a woman in a formal maid uniform.

"You must be Sir Leon," she said politely.

From the way she dressed, anyone could tell that she was a private maid.

Leon nodded. "Pleasure to meet you."

She stepped aside and opened the door wider.

"Please, come in."

Leon entered, and she took his coat, hanging it neatly on the rack by the wall.

"We were expecting you," she said softly, pausing for a moment before adding, "The living room has been arranged for the meeting. This way, please."

She led him through a narrow hallway.

The interior walls were wooden, with old-style chandeliers hanging above, each candle flickering gently in its glass cover.

"The president is already here; the rest, including Professor Esther, will join in a minute" the maid said as they reached a door, gesturing for Leon to enter.

Leon nodded once and stepped inside.

The room was simple, with the same plain wooden walls, a table, and a few sofas arranged neatly near the corner. There was not much furniture, but Leon saw a huge movable blackboard at the side; the content on it was not even erased properly.

What caught Leon's attention, however, was not the room itself.

It was the person sitting at the far end near the window.

Her purple hair swayed softly in the night breeze coming from the open window.

The moonlight fell on her face as she flipped through a book, her violet eyes calmly read each line.

Her name was Clara Everstone.

A fifth-year student of Eclipse, one of the top scholars in the Eclipse, and the 5th princess of the Merlin Kingdom.

Leon knew her well.

Her introduction in the story had been short, her appearance brief, but she left a lasting impression among the players.

If he remembered correctly, she was indeed the president of a research club.

'Damn, what are the odds,' Leon thought inwardly, amused.

Clara slowly lifted her gaze from the book, her violet eyes meeting his.

She closed the book with one hand and placed it neatly beside her, waiting.

It was clear she expected him to speak first.

Leon caught the signal and stepped forward.

"Good evening, Princess," he said politely. "I'm Leon Valentine, the new member of Luntara."

Her eyes moved, first to his black hair, then to his golden eyes.

"The trash of the Valentine family, and now Rank Two…" she said softly; her tone was neither mocking nor impressed. "Your name has reached all the noble houses, you know that?"

Leon smiled faintly. "I suppose rumors travel faster than people."

Leon was aware of this situation.

Clara studied him quietly for a few seconds before saying, "Rumors don't matter much here. What matters is whether you can keep up."

"I'll try my best," Leon replied, his tone calm. "Though I believe Professor Esther wouldn't have chosen me if I couldn't."

That made her pause.

She leaned back slightly on the sofa, crossing one leg over the other.

Her expression didn't change much, but her gaze softened a little.

"So you do trust her judgment," she said. "That's good."

Leon shrugged.

"Let's say I just respect it."

"..."

The room went quiet again.

Clara picked up the book and started reading from where she left off.

"Professor Esther mentioned you before," Clara said suddenly. "Said you're… different from the rest. I didn't believe her."

Leon tilted his head. "And now?"

Clara smiled faintly. "Still undecided."

Leon gave a short chuckle under his breath. "Well, that's fair."

Clara turned another page before setting the book down again, her gaze shifting back to Leon.

"Professor Esther has spoken quite a bit about you," she said. "Apparently, you've already stirred quite the discussion among the scholars."

Leon blinked once.

She said, crossing her arms lightly. "As I said, word spreads fast in this place. A first-year proposing a three-line incantation spell isn't something that goes unnoticed."

Leon didn't reply immediately.

He had a faint idea what she was referring to.

Clara continued.

"Your theory would be revolutionary. The compression sequence for layered casting was something no one had ever thought of. And that finding alone would make you among the top scholars. But…" she paused briefly, "some of the seniors and professors still doubt it came from a first-year."

Leon met her eyes. "That's Understandable."

She raised a brow slightly, as if expecting a defensive answer, but he didn't give one.

"Theories mean nothing," Leon said quietly, his tone steady. "Not unless they leave something behind for others to build on."

Clara studied him for a moment, her expression unreadable.

"…You're different," she said finally. "Most people, especially nobles, would brag about it to impress the person he/she was talking to. Your age would be bragging about it."

"I don't have time for that," Leon replied simply. "If it works, it works. If it doesn't, I'll make it work."

A small, almost unnoticeable smile curved Clara's lips. "I see why Esther's interested in you."

Leon tilted his head slightly. "Interested?"

"Don't take it the wrong way," she said. "She just doesn't recruit people without purpose. If you're here, she has plans for you."

Leon gave a small hum. "That makes two of us then."

Clara blinked once. "Meaning?"

Leon met her eyes. "I have plans for her, too."

"..."

Clara blinks this time, not expecting this answer.

"Now, you are bragging," she said.

Then she buried herself in the book she was holding.

The cover of the book was hidden by an entirely different cover.

Leon took an empty seat across from her. He leaned slightly back, scanning the quiet room before asking,

"Where is everyone?"

Clara didn't look up from her book.

"They went somewhere with Professor Esther."

She said it casually, but her tone carried a hint that she didn't intend to explain further.

Leon nodded once.

There were supposed to be two more besides them.

He was still thinking about that when he heard footsteps from the other side of the door.

He glanced at it just as the handle turned.

The first one to step in was Professor Esther, followed by two tall boys with chestnut hair and another with a blonde hair.

They were all fifth-year seniors.

"Oh, you're here already," Esther said, nodding in approval. "Good, good."

At her words, both boys turned their eyes toward Leon, their gazes sharp and looked at Leon with judgemental.

Before they could say anything, Esther clasped her hands together. "Alright, before we begin, let me introduce our new member."

She gestured toward Leon.

Leon stood up calmly. "Leon Valentine."

The moment he said his name, both seniors' eyes widened slightly.

"Valentine, huh?"

"I've heard of him," said the one with chestnut hair.

Esther smiled faintly. "Oh, and he's Rank Two."

A short silence followed.

"So, I was hearing it right," the blonde one said, stepping closer. His red jewel-like eyes glinted under the light as he extended his hand. "Nice meeting you, Leon. I'm Henry Willson."

Leon took his hand firmly, but the moment their palms met, he felt mana.

"…!"

A dense wave of mana pressed against his skin, wrapping around him like invisible weight.

Leon didn't flinch.

He simply met Henry's eyes.

'Damn… this concentration,' he thought.

It was powerful. So much that anyone untrained would've lost consciousness on the spot.

"Henry," Esther said coldly.

Henry clicked his tongue and let go, grinning. "Damn, you withstood that? Impressive. You've got skill."

Leon quietly exhaled and returned to his seat.

Esther gave Henry a look before glancing at Leon.

"You alright? Don't let it bother you. He has a habit of doing stupid things sometimes."

"Hey, that's harsh, Professor," Henry complained, scratching his head.

Esther ignored him. "Anyway, this is Henry Willson, your senior research scholar, and currently Rank One among the fifth years."

Leon looked at Henry again. The grin on his face hadn't faded, but his eyes carried a spark of challenge.

'Rank One, in fifth year… so he's a final-year student.. all of them…?' Leon thought quietly. 'If so, then, that will make this Henry guy the Rank one in the whole Eclipse Institute.'

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