"Today's class ends here..."
With a reluctant sigh, Faruzan wrote the final words on the blackboard, her chalk hesitating before placing the period. This was not just the conclusion of another lesson, but the very last class she would ever give to Leon.
What could have ended in thirty minutes, she deliberately stretched out for over an hour, inventing explanations, proposing extra exercises, reviewing topics Leon had already mastered perfectly. Deep down, she almost wanted to laugh at herself for such silent stubbornness.
(No matter how much I want to prolong this... no matter how much my heart resists letting him go... the day has finally come.)
She turned to face him, biting her lip as she saw Leon's calm and attentive expression, as always.
Faruzan took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to say something foolish, or to simply ask him to stay.
"Congratulations on your graduation, Leon."
Leon smiled softly.
"Really? Thank you so much for taking the time to teach me, Faruzan-senpai."
She averted her gaze, smiling bitterly.
"...Stop calling me senpai..." she murmured, shaking her head gently.
She had always insisted on being called "senpai"—a symbolic barrier to keep people at a distance, to prevent them from underestimating her or treating her condescendingly due to her young and delicate appearance. It was her armor, her defense against pity or scorn.
But now… in front of Leon, that barrier seemed foolish and useless.
She didn't want him to walk away.
She didn't want the last thread connecting them to be cut.
Leon… was her only student.
He would probably be her first and last.
This teaching period had, by far, been the most gratifying, fun, and comforting experience Faruzan had had in many years. Not only did he learn quickly and easily, but he also never mocked or underestimated her archaic knowledge, her academic passion, or her eccentricity. He listened, always with that pure, curious, fascinated gaze… as if she were the most interesting person in the world.
Faruzan really liked him.
Not just as a teacher likes her student.
She had also tried, in her own clumsy way, to keep Leon around. She imposed complex tasks, gave the most rigorous exams she could conceive, revisited theories that even many experienced researchers barely understood.
But no matter how high her demands were, Leon always responded with excellence—as if, in reality, he was merely playing.
Faruzan knew, deep down, that she was only fooling herself. She had no power to keep him by her side.
Leon wasn't just her student... he was a prince, with a destiny far beyond the walls of that classroom.
She, on the other hand, was just a veteran researcher, stuck in a little-respected field, always worried about tight budgets, project deadlines, and funding for her research.
The distance between them was simply… colossal.
"I really don't know what to say…" she began with a sad smile. "All the geniuses that come to mind don't compare to you. You completed all the courses so quickly..."
"Well… your classes are really interesting. I learned a lot, honestly. Thank you, Faruzan." He laughed as he responded.
She nodded, pressing her hands lightly against her skirt, as if trying to maintain composure.
"Yes… I'm glad."
For a brief moment, silence hovered between them, dense and uncomfortable.
Then, driven by a courage she didn't even know she had, Faruzan stepped closer.
Without saying a word, she stood on tiptoe and, with trembling hands, gently cupped Leon's face.
"Faruzan?" he called, surprised, but didn't move away.
She didn't respond.
She just leaned in and softly pressed her lips to his.
The kiss lasted only a second… but to her, it felt like an eternity.
As soon as she pulled away, she abruptly turned her back, her cheeks burning with embarrassment, her heart racing like never before.
"D-don't get the wrong idea!" she exclaimed nervously, clutching her blouse collar. "I don't mean… anything else…!"
She rubbed her face, frustrated with herself, before adding with the firmest voice she could muster:
"That was your… graduation gift."
Leon, still surprised, unconsciously brought his hand to his lips, but before he could say anything, Faruzan hurried to add:
"It's nothing special! Just… well… anyway, you graduated. If you get the chance, come visit me again, alright? And… don't forget what I taught you."
She smiled—a fragile but sincere smile.
Inside, her heart felt like it was about to explode.
(My God… what did I just do?) she thought, pressing her hand against her racing chest. (Not even when I was trapped in the ruins, isolated from the world, did my heart beat this fast…)
(Did Leon like it? After all… a miserable woman like me, always worried about money, can't afford to prepare an expensive graduation gift. It would've been great if I had finished that commission from Princess Iris…)
She bit her lip, fighting against chaotic thoughts.
(Did he… hate it? No… no guy would be happy to be kissed by a woman over a hundred years old… What have I done?!)
For the first time in a long while, Faruzan was not the arrogant veteran, the uncompromising researcher, or the unshakable professor.
She was just a girl… embarrassed, confused, and completely lost.
Leon said with a sincerity that disarmed her:
"Faruzan… I probably won't come back here."
His words were like a blade, slowly sinking into her chest.
She bit her lower lip even harder and lowered her head so he wouldn't see her tearful eyes.
"...Yes… I know."
She looked like a withered flower, lifeless, bending under the weight of her own insecurities.
Countless negative thoughts flooded her mind, suffocating any hope. Faruzan believed, with a tight knot in her chest, that Leon must be hating her at that very moment. How could it be otherwise, after such an impulsive move?
However…
"Then… come with me to Palettia, Faruzan."
"Eh…?"
She suddenly raised her head, her eyes wide like a child who had just heard something unbelievable. Her heart pounded in confusion and expectation as she saw Leon standing behind her, smiling with that serene and gentle expression that always disarmed her.
"You didn't hear me properly?" Leon leaned in slightly, getting closer.
"Then I'll say it again… come with me to Palettia, Faruzan. I… I don't want to say goodbye to you yet. I still need your wisdom."
He extended his hand to her, firm and inviting.
Faruzan remained frozen for a second, staring at that hand as if it were a miracle, an opportunity she had never dared to imagine. The atmosphere that had just been dull, like an abandoned garden, blossomed inside her again, as if an entire field of wildflowers had sprung up all at once.
She hadn't expected this… not from him… not now.
But there was no reason to hesitate.
Without holding back a small emotional smile, she took Leon's hand with determination.
"Next time… you should say this kind of thing earlier, you brat!" she said with a slightly trembling voice, pulling him closer.
Leon laughed, carefree.
"Sorry… I wanted to surprise you, Faruzan. But… I think, in the end, I was the one who ended up being surprised…"
She raised her fist, pretending to be indignant, and gave him a light punch on the chest.
"You really like to play with my feelings…" she murmured before clearing her throat and quickly composing herself.
"Ahem! But since you're taking me with you, know that… I won't accept any poor treatment, got it?"
Leon smiled and raised his hand to gently stroke her hair, a natural and affectionate gesture that made Faruzan's cheeks burn.
"Alright, alright~… I'll build a lab just for you, separate, with all the funding you want. You'll be able to set it up exactly how you want."
Faruzan was stunned for a second, unable to believe what she'd just heard… then her eyes shone brightly, as if a whole new world had opened up before her.
"Perfect! I'll write my resignation letter right now!" she exclaimed, pulling out a blank sheet of paper and starting to write furiously, at an impressive speed.
"Uhh… that was fast…" Leon commented, astonished as he watched her finish the letter in just a few seconds.
---
Shortly after, Leon and his group were already ready to leave that same afternoon.
Normally, when a prince returns to his kingdom, a knight escort would be sent to accompany him, turning the trip into a long and solemn journey that could take three to five days—or even months—depending on the distance.
But Leon had other means.
Thanks to his spatial magic, the journey that would take weeks was resolved in a single step.
Before the attentive eyes of Faruzan, Alexia, and Sherry, Leon extended his hand and, with a fluid gesture, tore through space, opening a dimensional gate directly to Palettia.
"Alright… let's go to Palettia."
"???" x3
The three of them stood frozen, blinking repeatedly, as if their brains were trying to process what had just happened.
Alexia, despite already knowing about Leon's spatial manipulation powers, couldn't help but be startled. Faruzan and Sherry, on the other hand, were completely speechless—to them, it was simply inconceivable.
"You've got to be kidding me," Faruzan said, frowning as if looking for some flaw in the illusion.
But no. Leon simply crossed the portal naturally, and after nervously exchanging glances, they ended up following him.
And then… they became even more stunned.
In the blink of an eye, they went from a familiar setting—the gate of the Midgar Swordsmanship Academy—to a completely different street… a different city… and, in the distance, an imposing castle rising like an architectural jewel in Palettia's royal capital.
The two stood still, mouths agape.
"But… but… what the hell is going on?" Faruzan exclaimed, spinning to face Leon with a confused expression, a mix of admiration and disbelief.
Leon merely shrugged, smiling calmly, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
"It's just… magic, girls," Leon replied, winking playfully.
"Unfortunately… if you want to uncover all my secrets, it depends on your performance."
Faruzan and Sherry exchanged glances, still in shock.
"Anyway…" Leon continued, gesturing towards the castle in the distance. "...welcome to Palettia. That's my residence in the royal capital. You can stay there as long as you want."
Even though Leon had left barely over a month ago, his castle looked as clean and immaculate as if he had never left. The gardens were well-kept, and the royal flag still fluttered proudly under the blue sky.
But there was a specific reason why he hadn't returned mounted on Dvalin, as he had previously, and instead through a spatial portal.
Because, for Leon, this was a precious opportunity.
Now… no one knew he had returned to Palettia.
Which meant that whatever major event or conspiracy was underway in the kingdom… it had no direct connection to him… yet.
In short…
Leon had just returned home.
And he intended to do… something big.
(End of the chapter)
"Hmph. If you really want to be useful, then entertain me, try to throw those pathetic power stones at me. Let's see if even your insolence can amuse a king."