Golden hour at Verdane Academy. Stone gates, banners in house colors. Students in tailored uniforms cross the courtyard. Cael Aldemar, a plain scholarship student, stands at the edge of the scholarship row.

Corridor between classes. Cael carries a stack of notes. A noble boy in burgundy approaches, then hesitates.

Academy banquet hall. Golden light, long tables, nobles in house colors. Cael stands at the edge in his scholarship uniform.

The banquet hall turns as Crown Prince Aurelian enters. He is golden, flawless, bored. Cael bows with everyone else.

Scholarship dormitory at night. Narrow room, one window, patched uniform. Cael sits at a desk with bills and a red hair ribbon.

Memory of Mira in the sanatorium. Thin, hollow-cheeked, red ribbon in her hair, chipped ceramic cup in both hands, smiling at someone off-frame.

Back in the banquet hall. Cael sits alone at the end of a table. Chancellor Voss slides into the seat beside him, folio under one arm.

Voss opens the folio. Ledger pages, red numbers. Cael's father's name. Cael grips his fork.

Cael's hand on the ledger page. Voss watches him without sympathy. The banquet noise continues.

Voss turns the page. A sanatorium record. Mira's name. Cael's eyes widen.

Cael's hands are on the table. He asks about Mira. Voss answers without apology.

Voss closes the folio. He looks at Cael directly.

Voss sets a small silver hand mirror on the table between them. Cael looks at it.

Voss explains the duties: duels, banquets. Cael's hand hovers near the mirror.

Voss explains the fee. Cael asks what it means. Voss explains memories.

Cael stares at the mirror. Voss waits. The candle flickers.

Voss threatens debt, sister's bed, blame. Cael's hands clench under the table.

Cael looks into the mirror. Then memory of Mira's red ribbon tied to a sickbed post.

Voss's slight smile. He closes the folio. Cael watches him.

Banquet continues around Cael. He sits alone. Mirror in hand.

Scholarship dormitory, later that night. Cael at his desk, pen and paper. He starts a letter to Mira.

Cael lies on his bed, mirror under pillow. He stares at the ceiling.

Next morning. Cael outside the chancellery office in the east wing. Dawn light. He holds the mirror in his pocket.

Cael steps into the chancellery office. Voss closes the door behind him. The mirror in Cael's pocket.

Final page. Close on the silver hand mirror in Cael's hand, catching a sliver of Cael's plain face and a faint impossible gleam of gold. Chapter end.