Kairos finally settled down beside , watching with interest as I continued to distribute the badges among the group. "You’re really not going to give any?" he asked, leaning in closer, his breath almost brushing against my cheek.
I instinctively turned around, but imdiately regretted it as our faces ended up too close for comfort. My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly pushed his face away with my hand. "Y-you’re too close! I don’t want to see your ugly face," I stamred, trying to regain my composure.
When they saw Caleo, they didn’t greet him since they were still a bit awkward around him, especially because he was a new student so they only remained silent even if he sat beside Remillia.
Rex and Whitney were glaring Caleo but Josh, however, didn’t seem to mind the awkwardness. Instead, he was quietly cheering then on from the side, a mischievous grin on his face.
"Go Reo! Go!" Josh continued to whisper his cheer.
Rex, noticing Josh’s antics, glared at him. "They will never be a couple! So stop cheering them like you’re a crazed fan!" he hissed, clearly annoyed.
Josh pouted but continued his silent cheering, his eyes twinkling as he watched Remillia and Caleo. To him, it seed like they were match made in heaven. He doesn’t know but they fit together than Cypher.
Small Context: Josh, despite being an extra in the novel apparently had witnessed so of Remillia’s most outrageous and awe-inspiring antics. He had a knack for being in the wrong place at the wrong ti, which led him to beco a victim of various incidents—like the museum fiasco, the first Rogue incident at the Academy, and several others. But through these accidents, he got to see Remillia in action, and what he saw turned him into a devoted fan.
At first, Josh shipped Remillia with Cypher. They were both incredibly talented, and their interactions hinted at sothing deeper. He admired the way they complented each other—Cypher’s steady presence seed like a perfect match for Remillia’s fierce spirit. But when Caleo entered the picture, Josh’s loyalty shifted. There was sothing about the way Remillia beca flustered around Caleo, the way her usual composure faltered, revealing a side of her that Josh found endearing. He noticed how she was able to express her feelings more openly with Caleo, sothing she seed to struggle with around Cypher.
When she was with Cypher, Josh saw how she sotis beca too shy or even appeared to suppress her emotions. But with Caleo, her guard was down—she was more herself, more vulnerable, and Josh couldn’t help but root for them.
Still, as much as he loved seeing his "goddess" with Caleo, Josh knew that whatever Remillia’s choice was, he would support her. Whether she ended up with Cypher, Caleo, or even remained on her own, Josh would always be her biggest fan.
’Hah, goddess. Whatever your choice is, I’ll still support you,’ Josh thought with a wistful sigh, watching the interactions unfold with a smile.
Now back to the main story!
Rex leaned closer to Whitney, his voice low. "How did Caleo imdiately get so close to Remi?" he whispered, clearly puzzled and a bit irritated.
Whitney, still observing the interaction between and Kairos, replied thoughtfully, "He stole Cypher’s seat, rember? But I didn’t know what happened after that."
Rex’s glare darkened as he watched Kairos sitting too comfortably beside Remillia. "She only talks to us like that, so why is she treating him differently? I don’t like him one bit," Rex muttered, his annoyance evident.
Whitney nodded in agreent. "Remillia’s not the type to be chatty with soone she doesn’t know well. They must have known each other before Caleo joined our class. It’s the only explanation."
Rex let out a frustrated sigh, "We need to separate them," he muttered to himself, his voice barely audible. "He’s hogging Remi all to himself. What about us? We would lose a witch, a tutor, and—ugh, as much as I hate to say it—a friend!" marching over to where Remillia and Kairos were sitting.
With a determined expression, Rex positioned himself right in the middle of Remillia and Kairos, effectively breaking up their conversation. He crossed his arms and shot a pointed look at Kairos, making it clear he wasn’t about to let this slide.
Kairos raised an eyebrow, amused but unbothered by Rex’s sudden intrusion. "Sothing on your mind, Rex?"
"Yeah," Rex replied, trying to sound casual despite the tension. "Just figured we should all, you know, hang out together. No need to leave anyone out." He glanced at Whitney, hoping she’d back him up.
Whitney slipped in on the other side of Remillia, slightly amused by Rex’s antics, "You’re right and since Caleo is still new here, we might as well get along"... ’or never’. She wanted to say it more but chose to shut up as she gave Caleo a friendly but firm smile.
Kairos chuckled softly, already recognized their ploy but chose not to challenge it. "Of course," he said, leaning back slightly. "The more, the rrier."
Rex and Whitney exchanged a quick glance, feeling a small victory in their successful intervention.
~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~
As the night deepened and the camp fell into a quiet lull, the exhaustion from the day’s events weighed heavily on everyone. One by one, they drifted into a deep sleep, opting to forgo guarding the entrance of the cave in favor of much-needed rest. The only sounds were the gentle crackling of the dying fire and the occasional rustling of leaves outside.
I, however, remained wide awake. I like to move in the dark so that I could move unnoticed, free from the prying eyes of others. As the camp settled into stillness, I quietly slipped out of my tent, careful not to disturb the others.
I paused at the entrance of the cave, calling out to Macaron in a hushed whisper. He imdiately appeared, perching silently on a nearby rock. "Guard the entrance, alert if there are any intruders," she instructed him softly. This ti, she didn’t need him to transform; with more people around, it was better to keep a low profile. Macaron blinked in understanding, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings as Remillia disappeared into the darkness.
Unbeknownst to her, another set of eyes was watching. He was still awake sitting on one of the trees as he can’t fell asleep but his curiosity piqued when he saw Remillia leave, he decided to follow her, masking his mana carefully to avoid detection. He knew how sensitive Remillia was to even the faintest trace of mana and took extra precautions to remain undetected.
He moved silently, his steps light and deliberate as he trailed behind her, maintaining a safe distance. The night air was cool, and the forest around them was alive with the sounds of nocturnal creatures, but his focus remained solely on Remillia. Whatever she was up to, he intended to find out.
I wiped the blood off my face, the thick, dark liquid splattering onto the ground as I stood over the last of the Mireborns. These creatures, burrowing arachnids with armored shells and venomous stingers, were notorious for their ability to swarm prey by sensing the vibrations of footsteps. Despite their fearso reputation, they were only standard-ranked monsters, and I had quickly dispatched them.
So far, I hadn’t encountered any other students, so I focused on hunting monsters. I ignored the lower-ranked ones, moving swiftly through the forest in search of more challenging prey—mid-ranked monsters that would offer a greater challenge and more points.
As I moved through the dense foliage, I suddenly heard the distinct sound of a twig snapping nearby. My senses heightened, and I instinctively moved towards the noise, crouching low as I approached. I slipped behind a thick bush, peeking through the leaves to see what had caused the sound.
My eyes brightened when I spotted my friends in the distance. ’I need to find the rest soon,’ I thought, feeling a sense of relief.
"Cy—" I started to call out his na, but the words caught in my throat when I saw Angela leaning in against Cypher’s shoulder.
"U-uhm, I-I have sothing to say to you," Angela stamred, her cheeks flushed with a deep blush.
"What is it?" Cypher responded gently, his voice soft and reassuring.
The sight of them so close together stirred a whirlwind of emotions within —curiosity, confusion, and sothing else, sothing deeper that I couldn’t quite place. I bit my lip, torn between stepping out to greet them or staying hidden and leaving them alone.
’At least so parts of the novel didn’t change,’ I told myself. After all, they were ant to be together—they were the endga of this damn novel. I should be happy for them, for my characters. But why did it hurt so much?
Before I could decide what to do, a hand suddenly grabbed mine, pulling away from the scene. I was startled and turned quickly to see who it was—Kairos. His expression was unreadable, but his grip was firm as he led away from the clearing, back into the shadows where we wouldn’t be seen.
"What are you doing here?" I whispered, trying to keep my voice steady, though my heart was racing.
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