Adrien held his breath for a few seconds before answering. "I... I'd assumed that we wouldn't be doing that", he mumbled. "It's -- it's Darkness magic".

"And what is the matter with that?".

"And what -- Everything is the matter with that!", Adrien exclaimed, his eyes wide. "It's not -- it's not something you just -- learn!".

At the other side of the table, Val seemed to be taken aback for a moment; Adrien looked away, suddenly bitten by sharp shame - regardless of his opinions on the topic, he felt horrible to have lashed out at Val like that. But while Adrien's face turned gloomier as he looked for the apology he owed, Val's eyes had taken a soothing, gentle light. "Darkness magic is not something you just learn", he echoed, weighing each word. "Why not?".