The Green Eyed Immortal.

Eren entered his cabin, the door clicking shut behind him as he exhaled a long, slow breath. The day had drained him more than he expected. Teaching was tedious, but it was not what had truly unsettled him, it was her.

The golden-eyed girl.

Mirielle.

His jaw clenched as he shrugged off his outer robe, tossing it over the chair by the fireplace. He had planned to push the thought of her away, but the memory of her silent defiance, the way she had merely nodded instead of speaking, had irritated him far more than it should have.

Why?

A sharp knock on the door snapped him from his thoughts. He already knew who it was before he even opened it.

Donovan.

Eren sighed, rubbing his temple before unlocking the door.

The older elf stepped in with a lazy grin, his silver hair slightly tousled from the evening breeze. "Well? How was your first day as a professor?"

Eren didn't waste time with pleasantries. His voice was cold, cutting straight to the point.

"That golden-eyed girl. She's her daughter, isn't she?"

Donovan stilled, his grin fading slightly before a chuckle rumbled from his chest.

"Damn, boy. Caught on so well. Men, after all, can't move on from their first love."

Eren's glare was sharp enough to cut through steel.

Donovan lifted his hands in mock surrender, but he gave Eren a knowing look.

He walked over to Eren's small table, pulling out a chair and making himself comfortable.

Eren remained standing, arms crossed.

"She is nothing like her," he muttered. His tone was even, but there was a strange tightness in it. "No powers. No concentration."

The shift in Donovan's demeanour was immediate.

The amusement vanished from his face, replaced with a sharp, assessing look.

"What do you mean?"

Eren leaned against the edge of his desk, arms still crossed. "She wasn't able to tap into her element." His emerald eyes darkened. "Is it because of her mixed lineage?"

Donovan's brows furrowed, his fingers tapping against the table's wooden surface. "Was there anyone else in the class who couldn't do it?"

Eren shook his head.

The silence between them stretched.

Then, Donovan exhaled, his fingers steepling together. "Then that can't be it."

Eren narrowed his eyes.

"The girl you're talking about is Mirielle," Donovan said at last. "She has a twin, Arian. If it was about lineage, then he should also be lacking."

Eren's fingers twitched.

He hadn't considered that.

Eren's emerald gaze remained sharp as he leaned back against the desk, arms still crossed.

"Don't expect any kind of favouritism just because Mirielle and Arian are your great-grandchildren," he said coldly.

Donovan scoffed, waving a hand dismissively. "Is that the kind of person you think I am?" His voice held amusement, but there was something serious beneath it. "Besides, I wasn't asking for any special treatment."

Eren didn't reply, watching the older elf with unreadable eyes.

Donovan stretched his legs out in front of him, tapping his fingers against the wooden table. "But let me tell you something about Mirielle," he said after a moment. "She has always been a quiet child."

Eren shrugged. "So?"

Donovan let out a long sigh, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Has living in the mountains reduced your empathy?"

Eren's lips curled slightly, though it wasn't quite a smirk. "Empathy?" He repeated the word as if testing how it felt on his tongue.

Donovan gave him a flat look. "Yes, empathy. You do remember what that is, don't you?"

Eren let out a slow breath. "If you're asking me to feel sorry for the girl just because she's quiet, you're wasting your breath."

Donovan shook his head. "That's not what I'm saying, boy." His gaze sharpened. "I'm saying that her silence isn't just a habit that can be changed. It's her personality."

Eren frowned slightly but said nothing.

"She was never the loud one. Never the one to demand attention." Donovan continued, his voice slower now like he was explaining something important. "Mirielle… she fades into the background because that's what she's used to, that's what she likes."

Eren's mind flickered back to the classroom earlier, to the way she had simply nodded instead of speaking. To the way, she had accepted his words without protest.

A spark of something unfamiliar twisted in his chest.

He didn't like it.

Still, he refused to soften. "That doesn't change the fact that she failed today."

Donovan tilted his head slightly. "Failed?" He chuckled. "You act like she had a real chance to begin with."

Eren's eyes narrowed.

Donovan held up a hand before he could respond. "You don't even know if she has an affinity for an element. That lesson was about discovering, not mastering. If she couldn't find hers today, it doesn't mean she won't find it later."

Eren was silent for a long moment.

Then, finally, he exhaled. "It's not my job to wait for her to figure it out."

Donovan nodded his head in agreement, ''No it's not, but you are a teacher now, it's your responsibility to guide your students to reach their highest potential.''