On a pitch-black mountain road, a Magic Vehicle rolled steadily under the dim moonlight. No other lights pierced the darkness, yet it never veered toward cliffs or slopes.

"Hey, need me to light the way?" A blonde girl in the back seat called to the blue-haired driver up front. The faint moonlight barely revealed their hair colors, but it was just enough.

"I can see fine," the blue-haired youth replied. "But if you cast fire magic, you’ll ruin our night camouflage. And don’t call me ‘hey’."

"Huanyu, don’t be so picky," another girl in the back seat interjected. "Lily didn’t mean it."

"Just teasing, Kerdling. No need to worry," the blue-haired Huanyu explained.

"Then I *will* worry," Lily challenged with a smirk.

"*You’re* the one who shouldn’t worry," Huanyu sighed, exasperated.

"Hmph. This young lady won’t stoop to your level," Lily declared proudly.

"You just called yourself ‘this young lady’?" Huanyu pounced on her slip.

"So what if I did?" Lily shot back.

"Can you two stop?" Yote finally cut in, voice firm. "We enter the Henry territory tomorrow. Save your energy."

Huanyu focused on driving. Lily closed her eyes.

Guided by Yote, they were sneaking into the Henry family’s private lands—a place even nobles of equal rank wouldn’t trespass lightly, let alone students. They’d slip through the southern forest under cover of darkness. Huanyu occasionally used space-shift spells during straight stretches, careful not to raise Yote’s suspicions.

*If only he knew Yote wasn’t actually familiar with these roads*, Huanyu thought grimly.

Near dawn, the vehicle reached the mountain peak. As the first light broke eastward, Huanyu parked and stepped out. Blazing Heart had already appeared beside him. Yote, roused from the passenger seat, witnessed a sacred sight:

A tall boy and a shorter girl stood before the car. She clung to his arm, her head resting against it. Golden sunlight bathed them, making them glow like deities descended to earth.

The moment vanished as the sun fully rose. All three exited the vehicle. Huanyu suggested eating here before infiltrating the Henry estate.

Soon after, they drove downhill. At the forest’s edge—their destination—Huanyu parked the Magic Vehicle. Only he knew its hiding spot.

"The Henrys hunt here," Yote whispered. "Guards only watch the forest’s end to keep out beasts."

The five moved silently, alert despite low danger.

Near the exit, Huanyu signaled a halt. Beyond the trees, tables and chairs dotted the grass. People bustled about—a party in full swing.

"How could I forget?" Yote’s rare frown deepened. "Today’s Lyster and Leilo’s birthday. They’re twins."

Kerdling and Lily exchanged worried glances. Trouble.

Huanyu, however, beamed with radiant delight—their polar opposite.

"Yote," he ordered smoothly, "press ‘9’ on your communicator. Ask Leilo where he is. Since it’s his birthday, bringing classmates won’t raise eyebrows. You’ve been friends since childhood. Just say we’re here to celebrate."

Yote quickly contacted Leilo, who was already airborne above the forest. Huanyu produced three formal gowns from nowhere, handing them to his companions. He turned to leave with Blazing Heart.

"Where are you going?" Yote asked.

"We handle the real mission. You keep Lyster occupied—don’t let her return to her room." Huanyu vanished into the trees with Blazing Heart.

Leilo landed from his armored mount, blinking at the three holding gowns. "Where’s Huanyu?"

"We split up yesterday," Lily explained smoothly before Kerdling or Yote could speak. "We heard about your birthday and bought these. Huanyu told us you’d be here."

Leilo led them out without suspicion. Servants froze at the sudden arrival of their young master and guests, then swiftly guided them to dressing rooms. Messengers hurried to inform the lord, lady, and young mistress.

Meanwhile, Huanyu and Blazing Heart slipped unseen into the castle-like manor. Following the old woman’s blueprint, Huanyu located the special signal device. *Stealing from the Integrated Tower isn’t simple*, he mused. *Using its items is far harder than taking them*.

He pocketed the blueprint, replacing it with an identical one of his own. Then they slipped away.