Hunter Academy: Revenge of the Weakest

Chapter 788  Chapter 182.4 - Let's have a talk

Seraphina's smirk widened the moment Astron fell silent, the faint rhythm of her fingers tapping against the frosted table resuming with a steady beat of satisfaction. In her mind, the game was already over. 
'He knows he's cornered,' she thought, her silver eyes gleaming as she watched him. 'Smart as he is, even he must understand that there's no path forward for him without my help.' 
She studied him carefully, taking in his calm demeanor and the faint contemplative expression on his face. To anyone else, it might have seemed like he was weighing his options, calculating his next move. But Seraphina was certain that no amount of calculation would change the outcome. 
After all, no matter how strong Astron had become, no matter what mysterious abilities he had developed, he was still bound by the reality of their world. And in that reality, the Matriarch Emberheart's words were law. 
'He's smart enough to know this much,' Seraphina mused, her confidence unwavering. 'Defiance isn't an option. Not against the Matriarch. And if he's smart, which I know he is, he'll understand that aligning with me is his best chance.' 
The silence stretched between them, and Seraphina allowed it to linger, savoring the moment. Her silver eyes glinted with quiet triumph as she leaned back in her chair, exuding the poise and control of someone who believed they held all the cards. 
But then, Astron spoke. 
"What if I refuse?" 
For a moment, the tapping of her fingers stopped. Her smirk remained, but the faint flicker of surprise in her silver eyes betrayed her momentary disbelief. 
'Refuse?' The thought repeated in her mind, sharp and incredulous. 
Seraphina tilted her head slightly, her silver hair cascading like frost over her shoulder as she regarded him with a curious, almost condescending gaze. "Refuse?" she echoed, her tone soft but laced with danger. 
She leaned forward, the air around her growin