Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest

Chapter 787  Chapter 182.3 - Let's have a talk

I leaned forward slightly, my eyes drifting to the glossy photographs Seraphina had laid on the frosted table between us. The sheen of the prints reflected the dim light, but the images were clear enough. Irina and me, standing close in the Stellamare Museum, no disguises in place. Another showed her hugging me openly at the Etheria Haven spatial gate station. 
My gaze lingered on the photographs for a moment, my expression calm, as though I were admiring art rather than analyzing evidence meant to unsettle me. 
'Interesting,' I thought, noting the fine detail in the images. 'These weren't taken by a mana-infused artifact.' 
If they had been, I would've sensed the mana signature or residual traces. My senses were attuned enough to pick up even the faintest flickers, especially in a controlled environment like the museum. But these? They carried no mana interference, no hint of artifact involvement. 
'An analog device,' I deduced, my eyes narrowing slightly as I examined the photos further. While most people relied on mana-powered tools for such things, there were still those who preferred older, less detectable methods. It wasn't common, but it wasn't impossible either. 
I glanced at the picture from the museum, where Irina and I stood side by side, our expressions relaxed but alert. At the time, I'd noticed faint gazes—subtle, quiet observations. But they hadn't felt intrusive, nor had they given away their presence as anything more than curious onlookers. I'd assumed it was nothing. 
I was wrong. 
'The Matriarch must have noticed this too,' I thought. 'I believed she would block the media from publishing anything, but it seems she decided otherwise. I suppose that makes sense.' 
After all, Irina hadn't exactly been discreet when she'd openly embraced me at the Etheria Haven spatial gate station. That image was now here on the table as well, a bold display of familiarity between us. The fact that the photos were being used now suggested Seraphina had been waiting, biding her time until she had enough to use as leverage—or to make he