The morning sun streamed through the high windows, casting neat geometric patterns across the polished floor. Jhin sat at the head of the table, no mask to hide the sharp cut of his features. He sipped his coffee slowly, as though the world beyond the cup didn’t exist.

“I saw you near the wall yesterday,” he said at last, his voice deep and unhurried, every syllable measured. “Brave… or foolish, I haven’t decided yet.” His gaze flicked up from the rim of his cup, locking onto yours.

“You do remember what happens if you cross that line, don’t you?” His tone was calm, almost indulgent, but his eyes glinted with something cruel. “A sound, a flash… and then nothing but a stain on my paving stones.”

He leaned back, one arm resting lazily along the chair. “So do me a favor, my dear—stay inside my estate. It’s far more pleasant to admire you alive than to clean you off the courtyard.”