Earlier, in the daylight of Ztogorye, the capital of the Maurya Empire.

  After leaving the Kovalevska Mansion, Ivanna walked through the bright streets toward the Smirnova Mansion, preparing for her departure the next day.

  The city was bustling with people in formal winter attire, moving about on foot or by vehicle. Everyone seemed busy, their attention fixed on something.

  This scene was nothing new to Ivanna. With little to occupy her time, she often wandered the city during her free hours—which, in truth, made up most of her days. Since childhood, she had known she would never inherit the Smirnova household, a fact that, to her relief, had never changed.

  The Smirnova family was rge, with many siblings born from her father’s numerous women. Yet, Ivanna cared for none of them except her biological mother, a commoner concubine who had always been by her side. Though, if she had to describe her other retives in one word, it would be freaks.

  As she walked through the city, she noticed the hurried pace of the people around her. Activating her bloodline ability, she observed that everyone’s attention was fixated on something, completely unaware of their surroundings. Because of this, Ivanna didn’t need to actively conceal herself—no one spared her a gnce, despite her striking beauty and the distinctive deer antlers on her head, a mark of an awakened nobility.

  Ivanna referred to her bloodline ability as attention manipution, but in truth, her bloodline ability was rooted in sensory control. Known as Perceptual Validation, it allowed her to forcibly alter others’ perceptions.

  The attention manipution technique was something she had developed on her own, focusing on the senses of sight and hearing. She had realized that people's attention was primarily dictated by what they saw and heard. By subtly redirecting these perceptions, she could influence their attention without them noticing.

  No other member of her family had mastered Perceptual Validation in her way, though each had developed their own unique techniques from it.

  Unlike magic cast with mana, bloodline abilities functioned more like an extra limb—an extension of the body with its own unique senses and capabilities. Just as a person could train their hands to py music, draw, or sculpt, bloodline abilities could be refined into distinct techniques through practice.

  Ivanna took a silent breath, her exhale forming a faint cloud in the cold air.

  As she observed the people around her, she couldn’t help but feel disappointed.

  “The world is big, yet everyone only pays attention to the little things,” she muttered.

  ***

  Back in Sophia's room.

  Cal was cleaning up the remnants of the Cat Backpack project. As he worked, he mulled over what Seraphix had said about his retionship with Sophia.

  He had always believed that Sophia saw him as nothing more than a friend.

  Even with his bloodline ability, Eyes of Discerning, he could see that Sophia had always intended for them to remain just friends—perhaps even less than that.

  But just moments ago, when Ivanna mentioned their retionship, Cal's certainty wavered.

  Cal’s focus snapped to Sophia.

  He had always been curious about what she had told Seraphix regarding their retionship. It was a curiosity natural for someone his age, yet his fear of rejection had kept him from confronting it.

  Now, as he watched Sophia after Ivanna’s question, his eyes widened.

  She was hesitating.

  Cal had expected her to immediately reject the idea that they were dating. But she didn’t.

  Something inside him stirred. For the first time, the dream he had buried—the dream of being something more than a friend to Sophia—began to resurface.

  Nervousness crept in.

  Then, Sophia opened her mouth. She was about to deny Ivanna’s question.

  But in that moment, Cal saw something else.

  He saw her 'concealed' intention.

  Sophia wanted to say yes.

  Before she could reject it, his body moved on instinct. He seized the moment, cutting her off and answering in her pce, confirming their retionship.

  And then—Sophia agreed.

  Cal had never felt happier. It was as if he had just overcome one of the greatest challenges of his life.

  That happiness washed over him, bringing a peace so deep it left him utterly drained.

  Knowing now that Sophia’s feelings for him were mutual, he made a bold move—resting his head on her shoulder. It was something he had always dreamed of doing.

  For a brief moment, he worried he might be overstepping. But Sophia didn’t reject it. She didn’t even have a 'concealed' intention of disliking it.

  Cal knew Sophia had always been sensitive about physical closeness with the opposite gender, a trait that had only intensified during their time at Naurvile Academy.

  Relieved, Cal closed his eyes.

  A wave of calm, happiness, and peace washed over him, pulling him into a long-overdue rest. His mind, finally unburdened, let go. As drowsiness took over, he drifted into sleep.

  ***

  On a quiet night, Sophia sat at her study table while Seraphix slept peacefully on her bed. Banned from sleeping there herself, she had busied herself with preparations for her departure to the United Republic of Aur the next day. Now that everything was ready, she allowed herself a moment to rest.

  As she settled down, Ivanna’s words echoed in her mind.

  "They missed me..." she murmured.

  Back in her early days at Noble School, before anyone had Awakened, she had formed a few close friendships.

  Staring out the window, a mix of regret and happiness washed over her. For the first time in a long while, she realized she missed her friends. But the thought of reconnecting filled her with fear—the fear of being seen as a disappointment, just as her father saw her.

  She had long since learned to endure the disdain of those around her, but the thought of someone she cared about looking at her with the same contempt was unbearable.

  ***

  As her thoughts drifted to Noble School, one name surfaced above all others—Cal.

  To Sophia, Cal was full of mysteries.

  Their first meeting had been unusual. One day, without warning, he started living at the Kovalevska Vil abroad. Back then, she had assumed he was a newly employed young butler.

  Then, when she began attending Noble School, she was stunned to find him there—not as a servant, but as a student. And not just any student—he was the imperial prince of the Maurya Empire. It was a shock, considering that, as far as she knew, the prince, princess, and queen had been decred dead after a past incident.

  But that was only the beginning. Unlike the other students, Cal had already Awakened upon his arrival at Noble School, his distinct dragon-like features and unparalleled control over mana setting him apart. He became the fastest Awakened in the history of the Maurya Empire.

  Sophia no longer remembered the exact details of their first interaction, but somehow, Cal had attached himself to her, seamlessly becoming part of her friend group at the Noble School.

  ***

  During her st semester at Noble School, Sophia watched as her peers Awakened one by one. But she remained unchanged. And as she did, their attitudes toward her began to shift.

  When everything became unbearable, Sophia made a decision—she withdrew completely. She left Noble School, becoming the only high-ranking noble in Maurya to never complete her education.

  During that period of isotion, she had never felt more worthless. Though it was her choice to withdraw, deep down, she had hoped her friends would reach out. But no one came. No letters arrived. She sent multiple letters to everyone, yet not a single reply returned.

  Then, to her surprise, Cal appeared at her mansion.

  He didn’t say much. He usually sat in the corner, reading his old, worn book. But his presence alone made Sophia feel less lonely.

  After that day, he visited more often—sometimes bringing materials from Noble School to teach her, other times just sitting quietly with her.

  Slowly, he became someone she couldn't live without.

  Yet, along with that comfort came unease. Sophia wasn’t blind to Cal’s immense potential. Being by his side brought her joy, but it also made her feel inadequate—as if she wasn’t worthy of being his companion.

  That was when her obsession began.

  She had to improve. She needed to be worthy of him.

  She threw herself into studying, training relentlessly. She experimented with potions, crafted tools, and pushed herself beyond her limits. When she ran out of materials, she asked Cal for help—and, to her surprise, he obliged. He even suggested they travel abroad to gather the resources she needed.

  That was the happiest time of her life.

  She and Cal ventured to different pces, embarking on adventure after adventure. He was skilled at navigating foreign nds—always knowing where to find the best deals, the rarest materials, the safest yet most efficient routes.

  To Sophia, Cal felt like someone who always knew exactly what he was doing.

  So when he proposed the idea of studying abroad at Naurville Academy, disguised as a commoner, she didn’t hesitate. She didn’t ask why or how. To her surprise, her mother supported the pn. Her father made no objection. Even the emperor gave his approval, offering his well wishes as she left.

  Now, as she reflected on it, Sophia couldn't help but think—

  "It's definitely absurd."

  ***

  The night was quiet as Cal walked through the streets of Ztogorye.

  His steps were quick, bordering on a run.

  His mind was in turmoil.

  Earlier, when Sophia had suggested giving herself to him tonight, his mind had gone bnk.

  Their retionship had escated far too quickly.

  And yet… he was considering it. No—he wanted it. But something held him back.

  For so long, he had told himself that he didn’t want that kind of retionship before marriage. But now, faced with the reality of temptation, he was on the verge of giving in.

  Then, another memory surfaced.

  Naphael.

  Sophia’s father.

  Like a dog held back by a leash, he stopped himself.

  He couldn’t do it.

  He couldn’t betray Naphael—the man who had done so much for him in the past.

  Without another word, Cal rejected Sophia’s offer and walked away from the Kovalevska Mansion.

  As he walked through the night streets, he couldn't help but quicken his pace, eager to reach his room.

  He needed a shower.

  For some reason, there was an uncomfortable wetness in strange pces on his body. It had been bothering him for a while now.

  As he walked, the sensation only grew worse, further souring his mood.

  Cal sighed.

  “Today was not a good day after all.”

  AnnouncementDear CatReader,

  Thank you for reading this novel! I’ve already outlined the full story, including how it will end. It’s going to be a long journey, but I hope we can all enjoy it together.

  I’m also pnning to change the novel’s name soon. For now, it will be "Garden of Names: Witch." If things go well, there may be more stories set in the Garden of Names universe.

  Best regards,Only Cat

  P.S. Character creation is still open if anyone’s interested!