The academy bell rang across the campus. The sound echoed off stone towers and wide courtyards, signaling the start of another day.
Students scattered into their usual routines—so heading to classes, others gathering in groups, talking about missions and gossiping about duels from the day before.
Selena, however, was trying to search for kael.
She had been trying to find him since dawn, holding a heavy book under her arm.
Her eyes darted from left to right while walking.
"Where did he go?" she muttered, peering into an empty classroom.
She had checked the dormitory, the ss hall, even the small library tucked beside the garden, but Kael was nowhere to be found.
As she walked past the courtyard, she noticed a group of first-year students lounging lazily under the sunlight, basking in its warmth.
"Excuse ," Selena said, stepping toward them.
"Have you seen Kael?"
The students glanced up at her. One of them, stretching his arms with a yawn, nodded toward the tall structure across the yard.
"He’s probably in the training room," the boy said.
"That guy doesn’t rest, even when he looks like he should."
Selena smiled faintly. "Of course’, she thought. (Where else would he be?)
She made her way to the academic training building.
As she pushed open the heavy doors, the faint thud, thud, thud of strikes carried through the air.
Inside, when she opened the door, she saw him.
Kael stood in the middle of the room, his body glistening with sweat, his fists moving with precise rhythm.
Each punch slamd into the wooden dummy with such force that it creaked under the repeated blows.
His chest rose and fell with controlled breaths, his sharp eyes locked on the target as if nothing else existed.
Selena paused at the entrance, her grip on the book tightening.
For a mont, she simply watched. He trains like he’s fighting for his life... like there’s no tomorrow.
Before she could call out, Kael’s head turned slightly. His sharp gaze softened the instant he saw her.
"Selena," he said, his voice calm despite the intensity of his training.
She stepped closer, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "I’ve been looking for you everywhere."
Kael reached for a towel resting on the bench nearby and wiped his forehead.
"What is it?"
"I want to talk about the map," she said, lifting the book in her hand.
They sat on the bench at the side of the room, Selena opening the book carefully.
Her fingers trailed across the worn parchnt, revealing diagrams and hand-drawn notes of regions beyond the arcadia’s lands.
"There’s a new location," she explained, tapping at a shaded area on the map.
"Professor Sylvia hinted it might be part of the event. I thought you’d want to know."
Kael leaned slightly forward while his eyes followed her finger.
"Hmm," he humd, nodding once. "Elaris Cavern... I see."
But inwardly, Kael dismissed it almost imdiately.
(That place is irrelevant—both in the novel and in reality. No hidden treasures, no decisive battles. Just filler.) Kael thought.
Selena frowned when she noticed how casually he brushed it aside. "You don’t seem interested at all."
"It’s not important," Kael said flatly, leaning back.
Selena pursed her lips but didn’t argue. She knew Kael well enough to sense when he’d already made up his mind.
Just as silence stretched between them, Kael suddenly stood.
"Oh, I almost forgot."
"Forgot what?" Selena asked.
"My sword. I must go and bring it back," Kael replied, grabbing his cloak.
Selena blinked. "Where are you going?"
"To Elaris City," he answered simply.
Without hesitation, Selena stood up too. "Then I’m going with you."
Kael turned, his brow furrowing. "No, you’re not."
"Oh, please," Selena pressed, stepping closer.
"I want to. I hardly ever get to leave the academy grounds, and besides—you shouldn’t go alone."
"It’s not a sightseeing trip," Kael said firmly.
"I don’t care." she said.
"I’m going with you, whether you like it or not."
Kael sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
He didn’t have ti to argue, and deep down, he knew Selena wasn’t the type to back down once she had decided sothing.
"...Fine," he muttered. "But don’t slow down."
Selena smiled triumphantly. "I won’t."
Then they went from terminal to terminal.
The road to Elaris City was lively, dotted with rchants, wagons, and travelers moving between villages.
The distant spires of the city glead under the morning sun, its bustling markets already visible from afar.
As they walked side by side, Selena broke the silence first.
"Have you heard about the new teacher?" she asked.
Kael tilted his head slightly. "New teacher?"
"Yes. Myra," Selena said. "She joined while you were in the rescue team and were at the event. I guess you wouldn’t know."
Kael’s mory stirred. He vaguely rembered fading in and out of awareness, hearing new voices around the infirmary. So it was then.
"What about her?" he asked.
Selena’s voice brightened with excitent.
"She’s incredible. Stronger than any of the professors I’ve seen. The way she controls her aura—it’s terrifying and beautiful at the sa ti."
Kael glanced at her. "You sound impressed."
"Of course I am," Selena replied.
"She handled three rogue beasts by herself when they attacked near the northern gates. Without even breaking a sweat."
"I didn’t heard anything about that", Kael said.
Kael’s eyes narrowed slightly.
(A powerful teacher arriving now? Was she ever ntioned in the novel?) He searched his mory but found nothing.
(Strange. She shouldn’t exist... at least, not in the story I know.)
Selena noticed his silence.
"You’re not saying anything. Aren’t you curious?"
Kael shrugged. "I’ll see her when I see her. If she’s strong, then good for the academy."
Selena pouted. "You’re impossible sotis, you know that?"
By the ti they reached the gates of Elaris City, the streets were very busy.
rchants shouted over each other to sell their wares, children darted between crowds, and the scent of roasted at and fresh bread filled the air.
But Kael’s focus never wavered. He led Selena through the bustling market toward the forge district, where the rhythmic sound of hamrs striking tal rang out in the air.
"Co on," he said. "I need to get my sword back."
Selena followed close behind, still glancing around curiously at the busy city, but her mind remained on sothing else: (Kael may act indifferent, but he’s hiding sothing. He always is.)
"Do you like hunting demons?"Kael asked.
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