Ophelia wakes up hungover in Blackwell’s suite after their drinking and intimacy, and Blackwell has already read another hundred pages of the records book. As she recovers, Ophelia asks about Blackwell’s missing past and what it is like to exist as a Phantom with almost no memories beyond Phantasma. Blackwell admits that his memories fade when he reaches too far back and that his existence is usually lonely, but his tenderness toward Ophelia shows that their relationship has become emotionally significant to both of them.

Because time in the competition is running out, Blackwell resumes Ophelia’s magical training. He helps her practice summoning and directing her raw power at objects around the room, and although her magic still takes time to build before release, Ophelia improves steadily. Blackwell then pushes her harder by throwing knives so she can strengthen her ability to make parts of her body intangible, turning the brutal exercise into real preparation for later levels.

After the training turns flirtatious, the mood is interrupted when Sinclair, a far more menacing Devil than Jasper, appears in the room. Blackwell quietly warns Ophelia not to show vulnerability, but Sinclair immediately notices the intimacy between them and provokes Blackwell with crude taunts. When Blackwell punches him, Sinclair retaliates by removing Blackwell from the room and trapping Ophelia alone with him in black smoke while Blackwell pounds helplessly at the door from outside.

Sinclair offers Ophelia a bargain: if she forfeits Phantasma, he will grant a favor, reveal Genevieve’s location, and even break Ophelia’s oath to Blackwell. Ophelia refuses and deduces that Sinclair wants her gone because she is uncovering secrets about Blackwell, including the key and the truth of why Blackwell is trapped in Phantasma. Before leaving, Sinclair tells her to look at page 882 and ask why Blackwell hid it; once Blackwell returns and reluctantly hands over the book, Ophelia finds both Gabriel White and Tessie Grimm listed there, a discovery that suggests Blackwell concealed a major link between her family and the competition.