Alia followed his gaze and spotted her. Lyra was making her way through the crowd, her slender fra moving with a delicate grace that seed to mirror her introverted personality. Her long, purple hair streaked with pink shimred under the sunlight, and her soft violet eyes flickered nervously over the crowd before locking onto Mikael and Alia.
Alia observed her closely, imdiately recognizing Lyra from Mikael's descriptions and it wasn't the first ti she saw her as she already saw her at the library.
When Lyra reached them, she hesitated for a mont, her hands clasping an invisible book against her chest—a familiar, instinctive gesture for the scholarly twelfth princess of Mystoria. Her lithe fra seed to shrink slightly under the weight of the mont, and her cheeks were faintly flushed.
"Alia," Lyra began softly, her voice tentative but sincere. "It's nice to finally et you."
Alia inclined her head, her tone polite but asured. "Likewise, Lyra. Mikael has told a lot about you."
A small, nervous smile appeared on Lyra's face. "I hope we get along as fellow sisters."
Alia blinked, montarily taken aback. "S-sisters?" she asked incredulously.
Lyra tilted her head, looking genuinely confused. "We'll be sharing the sa man, won't we? Shouldn't we be called sisters? At least, that's what I read in a book..."
Alia snapped out of her brief stupor, her lips curving into a faint smile. "You're really just like Mikael described you."
Lyra glanced at Mikael, who gave her a reassuring smile. Her cheeks grew warr, but she managed to focus on Alia. "I hope he said good things about ."
Alia's smile softened as she replied, "Mostly." Her gaze lingered on Lyra for a mont, and she found herself warming to the other girl more than she had anticipated. The initial awkwardness began to fade as Alia realized Lyra truly was as Mikael had described—a brilliant but socially awkward bookworm.
This realization cald Alia, and her expression beca more open. She began to guide the conversation toward casual topics, asking Lyra about her interests and hobbies. At first, Lyra was visibly anxious, her responses halting and hesitant. But as the dialogue unfolded, she began to relax, her words flowing more naturally.
Mikael observed the interaction with a small, satisfied smile. The dynamic between the two girls wasn't hostile, as he had initially feared. In fact, they seed to click surprisingly well. Alia took on a subtle "big sister" role, guiding the conversation and helping Lyra feel at ease. Ironically, Mikael noted that Lyra was technically older, but her deanor made her seem younger in this context.
The conversation andered comfortably, with Mikael occasionally interjecting to steer the discussion or help them find common ground. The atmosphere grew lighter, and soon, the three of them were talking easily, with a sense of camaraderie beginning to form.
For Mikael, it was a relief to see that two of the most important won in his life were engaging in a aningful conversation where they learned about each other and ford an understanding. For Alia and Lyra, it felt like the beginning of what might eventually blossom into a genuine friendship, built on mutual respect and shared connections.
Not long after, the students' conversations were interrupted by the voice of Professor Draven Farwynd. "Ok, it's ti to move! But before that, I have sothing to explain!"
He paused briefly before continuing, "We will move as a group. Everyone assigned to defend Willowbrook Town should be here. If you aren't supposed to be here, you need to find your own group."
He waited for a mont, scanning the crowd, but nobody moved. "Alright, I see that nobody is lost. You can follow . We'll take a teleporter that will bring us to a nearby city, and from there, we'll take a bus to Willowbrook Town."
With that, he turned and began walking, the group of students following close behind.
At the back of the crowd were Mikael, Alia, and Lyra, who started to follow the group when Alia made an unexpected move. Without a word, she slipped her arm around Mikael's and pulled it to her side, pressing her soft body firmly against his arm.
Mikael glanced to his left and saw Alia, her face a shade redder than usual, acting boldly. He inwardly chuckled but didn't say anything, simply enjoying the mont.
However, soone else had a different reaction. On his right, Lyra saw the scene and felt shy, wanting to pretend she hadn't noticed. But then a thought struck her: 'I need to be bolder!'
Acting on her resolve, she moved closer to Mikael and delicately took his right arm, pressing it against her lithe body. She attempted to mimic Alia's actions, but due to her smaller chest, the effect wasn't quite the sa.
Seeing Lyra copy Alia, a small smile appeared on Mikael's face. He didn't say anything, rely observing the two beauties clinging to him. Remaining in this position, they followed the group, inevitably attracting attention.
"No way!" a male student gasped, causing others to turn and see Mikael walking with two stunning girls clinging to him.
The sight sparked outrage among the nearby students. While they stood alone, Mikael had two incredibly beautiful girls by his side. And one of them was Alia Mounrsky—arguably the most popular girl in the Academy, admired not only for her aristocratic background but also for her striking beauty and calm deanor.
"Sobody slap . I think I'm dreaming!" one student exclaid.
"Slap!"
Another student, standing nearby, promptly delivered a hard slap, instantly waking him up.
"What the fuck! Why did you hit ?" the first student cursed.
"You asked for it..." his friend replied with a shrug, and the two began to bicker.
Not everyone found the scene amusing. Many students looked on with jealousy, their whispers and mutterings spreading quickly. Even so of the girls joined in, gossiping about the trio.
Despite the attention, Mikael, Alia, and Lyra remained unconcerned and continued walking with the group.
Before long, the walk ended, and the hundred-strong group arrived at the Teleportation Hall. The students entered a large teleportation circle. As the teleportation process began, a few panicked, feeling the rising pressure, but most remained calm, accustod to teleportation.
Monts later, the group vanished and reappeared in another building. Following Professor Draven's instructions, they walked a bit further until they reached a bus.
The bus resembled a classic yellow school bus but with notable differences. Instead of yellow, it was painted a beautiful ivory white, adorned with nurous small magical runes. These runes enhanced its durability, ensuring it could withstand the dangers of traveling outside the fortified city and into the wilderness.
As they boarded, they noticed the bus's interior was much larger than a standard vehicle. It had nearly two hundred seats arranged in three rows on either side of a central aisle. Despite the high seating capacity, each seat was spacious and comfortable, promising a pleasant journey for the passengers.
The small group of three chose seats toward the back. Lyra sat by the window, Mikael took the middle seat, and Alia sat on his other side.
The three settled into their seats, finding comfortable positions for the long journey ahead. Mikael had an idea to improve the trip and silently cast three spells in quick succession: a sound-blocking barrier, a perception-blocking barrier, and finally, a true barrier. These intent-cast spells wrapped themselves around the trio, creating a private and silent bubble where they could enjoy the journey undisturbed.
Alia, accustod to the casual use of magic for convenience, didn't react outwardly but found the idea practical. Lyra, on the other hand, would normally have been fascinated by the display of intent magic. However, at this mont, her face was glued to the window, hidden from view, her cheeks bright red as she felt embarrassed by her earlier boldness.
Alia didn't share Lyra's shyness. She quickly rested her head on Mikael's shoulder, letting out a soft yawn before closing her eyes. Mikael gently ran his fingers through her silky black hair, eliciting a small smile on her face. At the sa ti, he reached over to take Lyra's soft hand, offering her silent comfort.
Lyra froze montarily, surprised by the gesture, but quickly relaxed. As the journey continued, she managed to overco her initial shyness and leaned her head on Mikael's other shoulder. Unlike Alia, however, she positioned herself so that her face was hidden from his view.
Mikael let out a quiet chuckle at her behavior and began stroking her hair as well. Lyra instinctively snuggled closer to his hand, finding its warmth comforting.
In this peaceful mont, Mikael felt a sense of contentnt. Being close to two beautiful won he cared for made the trip, even with the looming danger of the mission, feel worthwhile.
Ti passed quietly. Alia eventually fell asleep, letting out soft, adorable sounds as she rested. Lyra remained awake, leaning against Mikael, enjoying the calm and intimate atmosphere.
The bus ca to a halt, and the nearby students began to rise from their seats. Realizing they had arrived, Mikael gently shook Alia's shoulder.
"Five more minutes," she murmured groggily, still half-asleep.
Mikael couldn't help but feel a twinge of affection at seeing the usually calm and composed Alia acting so endearingly. Smiling, he leaned down and kissed her pink lips.
"Umm?" she murmured, her voice muffled by the kiss as her eyes fluttered open. Realizing Mikael was kissing her, she returned it with passion.
Just as Alia began to get into the mont, a soft cough interrupted them. They both turned to see Lyra watching with an embarrassed expression. "S-shouldn't w-we be leaving?" she stamred.
Alia, rembering they weren't alone, flushed slightly. She ended the kiss but not before teasing Mikael with a playful flick of her tongue. Stretching as she rose from her seat, she acted as if nothing had happened.
Mikael, however, wasn't finished teasing. His tone turned playful as he addressed Lyra. "You want to leave? But shouldn't I be fair first?"
Lyra tilted her head, confused. "Fair?"
Mikael adopted a thoughtful expression. "If soone receives a gift but you don't, wouldn't that be unfair?" he asked.
Still puzzled, Lyra nodded hesitantly. "Yeah, it would be unfair."
Without further explanation, Mikael stepped closer to her, wrapping his arms around her. Their faces were re centiters apart as their gazes locked. "So, should I be fair?" he asked, his tone now carrying a seductive edge.
Lyra's face turned a deep shade of red as she realized what he ant. Despite her embarrassnt, she managed to stutter, "Y-yeah, you s-should."
Mikael was montarily surprised by her answer but didn't hesitate. Gently cupping her cheek, he leaned in, and their lips t. Lyra, caught up in the mont, wrapped her arms around his neck. The kiss was brief yet aningful, leaving both of them slightly breathless when they pulled apart.
"I was fair, right?" Mikael joked, earning a small smile from Lyra. She looked down, responding softly, "Yeah."
Alia, who had watched the scene unfold, found herself surprisingly unbothered. Contrary to what she might have expected, seeing Mikael with another woman didn't fill her with jealousy or discomfort. Instead, she observed calmly, even secretly wishing Mikael would kiss her again.
After deactivating the barriers surrounding them, Mikael noted with satisfaction that his mana reserves were still nearly full. This wasn't surprising since the barriers had been in a passive state, consuming minimal energy compared to combat situations.
As they waited for the small group of teachers and the other students to disembark, Alia inwardly lanted not getting another kiss but kept her disappointnt hidden. The trio eventually followed the group off the bus, ready to face whatever lay ahead.
Author Note:
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