"However, the two of you will be different."
Ethan's curiosity piqued again, his hazel eyes lighting up with interest. Astron, as always, remained composed, though his sharp gaze remained fixed on Eleanor.
"You two will have ntorship sessions with directly," Eleanor stated, her tone leaving no room for argunt. "Twice a week—each Saturday and Tuesday—for two hours per session."
Ethan blinked in surprise. "Wait, so… four hours a week?" he asked, doing the quick ntal math. "That's—"
"Significantly more than what the others will receive," Eleanor finished for him, her tone matter-of-fact. "And with one of the best Hunters in the entire Human Domain nevertheless."
Astron's sharp purple eyes flicked toward Eleanor. "You really are humble, Professor," he said, his voice calm but carrying a dry undertone.
Eleanor's expression shifted into the faintest of smiles, her sharp gaze steady as she regarded him. "When you reach my age, Astron," she replied smoothly, "you'll understand your worth more. And being humble, in so cases, is simply a way of lying about yourself."
Ethan chuckled lightly at the exchange, leaning back in his chair, clearly entertained by the rare banter. "That's one way to put it," he muttered under his breath.
But Eleanor's smile faded almost imperceptibly as her deanor turned serious. She straightened in her chair, folding her hands in front of her as her sharp gaze swept over both cadets. "But I need you to brace yourselves."
The weight in her tone imdiately shifted the atmosphere in the room. Ethan sat up a little straighter, and even Astron's calm expression seed to sharpen slightly, his full attention now locked on her.
Eleanor raised one hand, and a faint hum filled the air as she channeled a small, concentrated flow of her mana. The room seed to shift subtly under the pressure, the temperature dropping just enough to be noticeable, and the edges of the light flickered faintly. Though the mana was controlled and restrained, its intensity was unmistakable—a fraction of what Eleanor was capable of, but still a stark reminder of the power she wielded.
"When we are together in those two hours," she began, her voice steady but carrying an undeniable edge, "I will not be your professor. I will not be Eleanor White, the instructor of the Arcadia Hunter Academy."
The pressure in the room grew slightly, the faint hum of her mana reverberating through the air. Ethan swallowed hard, his usual grin completely gone as he felt the weight of her presence. Astron remained composed, though his sharp eyes glinted with a faint hint of focus, the only indication that he, too, felt the shift.
"In those sessions," Eleanor continued, her tone unwavering, "I will be the Professional Hunter Eleanor. One of the top Hunters in the Human Domain. And I will hold you to the standards of that world—not the world of cadets, not the world of training. The standards of reality. Do you understand?"
Ethan nodded quickly, his hazel eyes wide but resolute. "Yes, Professor."
Astron inclined his head slightly, his voice calm but firm. "Understood."
Eleanor let her mana dissipate slowly, the oppressive weight lifting from the room as the faint hum faded. The silence that followed was heavy, but not with tension—with understanding. She had made her expectations clear, and both cadets knew that this would be no ordinary ntorship.
"Good," Eleanor said finally, her tone returning to its usual calm authority. "Then prepare yourselves. This is an opportunity, yes, but it is also a challenge. You will be pushed harder than you've ever been before. And if you can't rise to et those expectations—"
"..."
"Well, let's hope that doesn't happen."
Ethan let out a small exhale as the weight of Eleanor's presence fully dissipated, the air in the room returning to its usual stillness. He glanced at Astron, who stood as calm and composed as ever, then back at Eleanor.
"Well," Ethan said lightly, though his voice was edged with genuine respect, "I guess we'll see you on Saturday."
Eleanor gave a slight nod, her sharp gaze shifting briefly between the two cadets. "You will."
Taking that as their dismissal, Ethan turned and made his way toward the door, his steps lighter now that the tension had lifted. Astron followed silently, his posture precise and asured, as always. As the door clicked shut behind them, Eleanor leaned back in her chair, her gaze lingering for a mont on the space they had vacated.
Outside the office, the hallway stretched long and quiet, the echoes of their footsteps fading into the distance. Ethan stretched his arms over his head, letting out a low whistle. "Well, that was… sothing," he muttered, glancing at Astron out of the corner of his eye. "She really knows how to set the tone, huh?"
Astron didn't imdiately respond, his sharp purple eyes fixed ahead as he walked. Finally, he spoke, his voice calm but thoughtful. "She made her expectations clear."
Ethan smirked, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Yeah, no kidding. Standards of reality, huh? Sounds fun."
Astron's gaze flicked briefly toward him. "I don't think she's aiming for 'fun.'"
Ethan chuckled softly, his hazel eyes glinting with a mix of amusent and determination. "Maybe not, but it'll be interesting. Besides," he added with a grin, "I'd rather have her pushing us than so random ntor who doesn't care."
Astron didn't respond, his expression remaining unreadable as they continued down the hallway. But his silence didn't bother Ethan. If anything, he'd grown used to it—comfortable, even.
The two walked in silence for a while, their strides falling into an unspoken rhythm. Finally, Ethan broke it with a quiet laugh. "Hey, you think she ant it when she said she'd hold us to the standards of a top Hunter?"
Astron's voice was calm, almost detached. "She doesn't seem like the type to say things she doesn't an."
Ethan let out another low whistle, shaking his head with a grin. "Guess we're in for it, then."
As they reached the end of the corridor, the faint hum of other cadets' chatter began to filter through the air. Ethan turned to Astron, his grin softening into sothing more genuine. "Well, see you Saturday, partner."
Astron's sharp purple eyes flicked to Ethan, narrowing slightly as he replied in his usual calm but clipped tone. "I am not your partner."
Ethan stopped mid-step, turning to face Astron with an exaggerated look of mock offense. "Heeeh… Why not? It's just the two of us, isn't it?"
"It's just the two of us who have been forcefully called by Eleanor," Astron corrected flatly, his tone as precise as ever. "We are not partners. We are just two people who happen to occupy the sa space."
Ethan grinned, a mischievous glint in his hazel eyes. "Are you… tsundere?"
Astron's brows furrowed, and he turned his head slightly, giving Ethan a sharp look. "Tsundere?" he repeated, his tone laced with suspicion. "What is that supposed to an?"
Ethan burst into laughter, shaking his head. "Never mind. Of course, you wouldn't know. Forget I said anything."
Astron's gaze didn't waver, but after a mont of assessing Ethan's amused expression, he simply turned and resud walking, muttering under his breath, "Pointless noise."
Ethan was about to retort when his smartwatch buzzed, interrupting his thoughts. He glanced down at the screen, his playful grin softening into sothing more reserved when he saw the caller ID.
Jane.
Ethan coughed lightly, his hand instinctively moving to adjust the strap of his bag. "Uh, I should get this," he said, his tone shifting to sothing less teasing and more genuine. "I, uh, need to et soone."
Astron glanced at him briefly, his expression unreadable. "Fine," he said simply, his tone dismissive as he continued walking ahead without another word.
Ethan watched him for a mont, a small smile tugging at his lips. "See you around, 'not partner,'" he called out, but Astron didn't bother looking back.
With a quiet laugh, Ethan answered the call, his voice softening as he brought the smartwatch closer. "Hey, Jane. What's up?" His steps quickened as he moved toward a quieter corner, already shifting his focus from the sharp-edged banter with Astron to the warm familiarity of Jane's voice.
******
Eleanor sat back in her chair, the soft hum of the room returning to its usual stillness. The sharp, focused exchange with Ethan and Astron lingered in her mind, playing back in fragnts. Astron's calm composure, Ethan's intuitive curiosity—both of them were compelling in their own ways, and she couldn't deny the faint flicker of anticipation she felt for the ntorship sessions to co.
But as the room settled into silence, her smartwatch vibrated softly against her wrist. Glancing down, her sharp eyes caught the na that appeared on the screen:
Es.
Her brows lifted slightly, her expression sharpening. Es Abigail—the appointed nanny and trusted representative of the Emberheart family. Seeing her na was enough to tell Eleanor that this ssage wouldn't be casual.
Tapping the screen, she opened the ssage. The text was brief, formal, and straight to the point, but the weight of its implications settled heavily in her chest as she read.
--------------------
To Professor Eleanor White,
This ssage is sent at the behest of Matriarch Emberheart.
As per her directive, we request your discretion and oversight regarding Irina Emberheart's relationship with Astron Natusalune. The Matriarch believes that close monitoring of this dynamic will be beneficial to ensure that both individuals maintain their focus and that no unfavorable outcos arise. Your expertise in these matters is, of course, trusted completely.
We appreciate your attention to this matter and will await your observations.
Sincerely,
Es Abigail
---------------
Seeing the ssage, Eleanor just shook his head.
'You really have not changed.'
This was directed to both the matriarch and a certain maid with whom she was friends in the academy.
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