Saint-Vermeil Academy's ceremonial hall during Steel Oath renewal; marble, banners, and rows of cadets under bright morning light.

The oath renewal begins with a close look at the Steel Oath marks and the instructor's plain rules.

A first-year cadet jokes during the ceremony and the Oath immediately exposes the lie.

The hall's laughter cuts off as the instructor clarifies the stakes of the Steel Oath.

The cadets repeat the renewal vow, and Esme's careful public life is framed.

Esme and her opponent take their marks as the crowd focuses on wrists and blades.

The bout begins, and Esme studies the opponent's opening instead of attacking.

Esme recognizes the footwork from archived duel records she studied before the match.

Esme lets the pattern continue, counting the opponent into his own mistake.

The opponent exposes the wrist exactly as Esme predicted.

Esme wins with a clean tap to the wrist, the most socially charged target at Saint-Vermeil.

Esme's precise victory becomes arena gossip instantly.

Sister Maelle meets Esme near the arena exit with water and paperwork, showing Esme's connection to the records.

Esme reaches the public bracket board where the semi-final names are being posted.

The board reveals Esme's semi-final opponent: Lucien Aubray.

Esme privately connects Lucien's name to the memoir she secretly ghostwrote last winter.

The crowd's gossip around Lucien's bracket reveals Duke Valcrest's expected attendance and the marriage rumors.

Headmaster Orne calls Esme to his office, where the Marrante chest sits in plain sight.

Orne explains the audit rules while the chest remains visible on his desk.

Esme asks about withdrawing and learns forfeiting would expose the archive path to the chest.

Esme exits Orne's office with no safe way to withdraw from the Lucien match.

Across the bracket hall, Lucien Aubray appears in person and the crowd parts around him.

Lucien approaches Esme and quotes a line from an unpublished Marrante draft.