"What do you want me to do?"
Matthew stood in the Callan Family's lounge at Alpha Castle, watching the tall, slender figure on the terrace with his back to him. His voice was a little tense.
"Inherit. Endure. Preserve."
Sir Friedman raised his tulip glass toward the moon. The vivid red liquid swayed gently in the night, giving off a sweet scent that mingled with his cool voice. Matthew felt as though he had taken a huge bite of durian ice cream.
"You must become the family's foothold at First University. Use patience and perseverance to test Sephrano's mettle... Show everyone that Callan remains a name the Moonlit Parliament cannot ignore. Or at the very least, learn to observe."
"Observe?"
"The movement stirred up by the Spellbook Liberation Association and the North District Wizards is an excellent case to observe." Sir Friedman licked a trace of blood from his lips. "Naive and passionate, exploited at will by those with ulterior motives... It's destined to burn like peach blossoms and leave nothing but ashes at the height of its fervor."
"The movement has lasted longer than anyone expected." Unsure where his cousin stood, Matthew offered his opinion cautiously.
"But most people still keep their eyes shut and pretend not to see how rapidly everything is changing."
Sir Friedman finally turned to face his cousin. "The shouting of a few students won't wake people who are pretending to sleep. Only when the whole school is in an uproar will the movement have succeeded. The semester is nearly over. Exams, going home... Too many things are dividing everyone's attention. Perhaps a well-timed 'sacrifice' could change that."
A sacrifice was an offering to the gods. The Callan Family, watching from the sidelines, would not have to provide it, nor would the schemers hiding