Saldrich and Fiona made their way to the cafeteria together. After placing their orders, they selected one of the vacant tables tucked away from the main crowd, seeking a quiet corner to enjoy their al and talk.
It was peaceful, at first.
Until Saldrich broke the silence with a question that dropped like a stone in a still pond.
"So... when were you planning on telling about the kiss you had with my brother?"
Fiona froze mid-motion, a spoonful of rice barely lifted off her tray. She coughed suddenly, violently even though the food had yet to touch her lips. Coughing hard enough to draw attention from a nearby table, she reached for her drink and took a few gulps to soothe her throat, her eyes wide with shock.
"How did you—?
"Oh, co on," Saldrich cut in with a smirk. "I'm his sister, his only sister. Sure, I may not always understand what goes on in that thick skull of his, but you better believe I know the important stuff... like the fact that Aldrich, my one and only brother, kissed Fiona Helmswoth."
She said it with such confidence, it almost sounded as if Aldrich had told her himself. But that wasn't the case. Saldrich had simply stumbled upon them by accident, walking in on a mont not ant for any audience.
"But seriously," she continued, her tone softening just a fraction, "when were you going to tell ? I thought we were past all the awkwardness... that we were friends now."
It hadn't always been that way. Their beginning was rocky, brimming with cold shoulders and sharp words. More downs than ups. But sowhere along the line, the ice had started to thaw. Apologies had been exchanged, bridges rebuilt, and now? Now, they were sothing closer to genuine companions.
Or so Saldrich had believed.
Had she misread everything?
Was she the only one clinging to this idea of friendship?
Fiona set her spoon down, her voice quiet. "It's not what you think, Sal. I was going to tell you, I swear. "
"But you didn't," Saldrich interjected, her expression unreadable. "You didn't trust enough to share that information with , right?"
"That's not it!" Fiona replied quickly, though even she sounded unsure of how convincing her words were.
Saldrich leaned back slightly, a soft sigh escaping her lips. "It's fine, Fiona. Really."
She wasn't angry. Not anymore. If she were being honest with herself, she could understand the hesitation. She hadn't exactly been warm in the beginning. She'd warned Fiona to stay away from Aldrich, sided with Selina Von Degure in treating her coldly, and never once gave her the benefit of the doubt.
Yeah... she'd been a bitch. A real one.
But things were different now.
Saldrich had apologized. She'd made efforts not just in words, but in actions. She'd started spending ti with Fiona. Walked with her, ate with her. Even ignored Selina's passive-aggressive remarks to do so.
"Is there a reason you suddenly changed your mind about ?" Fiona asked, her voice laced with quiet curiosity. "You're hanging out with . And you don't seem to mind... what I have going on with your brother."
The question wasn't out of line. The shift had been abrupt.
"My brother..." Saldrich began, choosing her words carefully. "He likes you. A lot. And I can tell you feel the sa about him."
She paused, exhaling slowly.
"I tried to protect him. That was my reason for everything. Pushing you away, acting like I did. I just didn't want him to get hurt. Not by you, not by anyone."
Her tone dropped, steady and sincere.
"But I realized... what good is all that if it ends up causing him more pain?"
She recalled the anguish in Aldrich's eyes when Fiona had been injured. The guilt he bore afterwards. The disappointnt he hid but couldn't quite conceal when Saldrich hadn't stood by him.
"I was wrong," she admitted quietly. "He's not a child. He doesn't need a gatekeeper. What he needs... is soone who'll be there when he stumbles. Soone who trusts him enough to make his own choices and strong enough to catch him if he falls."
She smiled faintly. "So yeah. I'm letting go. Not because I stopped caring but because I finally understood what caring really ans."
Then, her eyes narrowed playfully. "Now, how about you stop dodging and give the full story already? What exactly is going on between you and Aldrich?"
Fiona gave a small, reluctant laugh. "Alright. Your brother and I—
Before she could finish, both girls were interrupted by a simultaneous buzzing from their phones.
The sound cut the air between them like a blade.
Frowning, they each reached into their pockets and pulled out their devices. A single notification blinked at them from the screen.
"The list... it's out," Saldrich said, her voice tight with surprise.
Fiona's eyes scanned her own phone. Sa ssage. Sa source.
The grouping list for the upcoming exam has been released.
---
Far away on the training grounds, sweat glistened on Dante's brow as he dashed across the arena floor, his movents precise yet swift.
He was just about to plant his foot forward when an arrow struck the ground where his heel would've landed. Instinct kicked in. He pulled back mid-step and twisted to the side, only to et a volley of arrows racing toward him from his new angle.
Forced into retreat, he backflipped cleanly, creating space between himself and the threat. His eyes, sharp and unblinking, tracked the source.
"You've definitely gotten better at shooting while on the move," Dante comnted, regaining his posture.
"Don't flatter ," Aldrich replied from the far edge of the field, bowstring drawn once again. "I can tell you're holding back. For one, you're not using your full speed."
Dante raised an eyebrow. "Could say the sa about you. You haven't activated your Clover Eyes once during this whole match. What's the matter? Don't think I'm worth the trouble?"
It wasn't an accusation. Just a tinge of disappointnt.
Aldrich smirked. "Funny. I was going to ask why you're not channelling any Art. You're just skating by on raw mana enhancent."
This wasn't a real fight.
It was a test. A challenge between two gifted students trying to asure one another's progress using only their base abilities. No tricks, no flair involved.
No power-ups.
Just fundantals.
Aldrich loosed another arrow, this one faster than the last. But still, no mana augntation. No illusions. No hidden force behind it.
To Dante, it might as well have been a twig.
He stepped forward, index and middle fingers pressed tightly together and swiped cleanly. The arrow split in midair, cleanly, effortlessly.
"You're going to have to do better than that if you want to land a hit," he said, his voice lined with pride and challenge.
Aldrich grinned.
"Oh, I plan to."
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