That morning, the sky above Eclaire Academy was clear and blue. The thin mist that usually shrouded the lake behind the school slowly evaporated under the sunlight. The academy buildings stood majestically, their pale gray marble walls sturdy, windows tall and gleaming clean. Students in neat uniforms walked the corridors—some joking, others seriously discussing assignments and future plans. Eclaire Academy was no ordinary school. It was elite, disciplined, and demanding. Every corner reflected a world that demanded perfection.
Among these students, Adora walked lightly. Her jet-black hair cascaded freely, her equally dark, beautiful eyes reflecting the morning shadows. Her facial features were elegant, yet her gaze held quiet resolve. She took a short breath to calm herself before entering class. There was a math quiz today. And as usual, Matteo—the overly responsible class president—would assign her a small task.
The classroom door opened. The chatter immediately died down. Adora stepped in, greeting Matteo with a slight nod. True enough, Matteo handed her a stack of quiz papers.
"Help distribute these, Adora," he whispered, as always.
Adora nodded, accepting the papers and moving from desk to desk. She passed the familiar faces of classmates until her steps halted.
The backmost desk—empty until now—was occupied.
A young man sat there. His expression was somber, skin marble-white, soft brown hair falling messily over his forehead. His eyes Adora couldn't look away. Deep, as if holding thousands of wounds, thousands of untold stories.
As if the world had stopped, Adora froze. This, this was him. The figure who'd haunted her dreams. The one who'd called to her in sleep, reached out in the shadows of night. The one she felt she'd known long before they ever met.
The quiz papers nearly slipped from her hands. Alter slowly looked up, meeting her gaze. And in the prince's eyes, the world abruptly cracked. His chest tightened. This face was too similar. No but too identical. Only the black hair and dark irises differed. The smile, jawline, curve of the cheeks. The girl standing rigidly before him was Inessa. The ghost he'd chased into the bottomless abyss.
For a moment, no one moved. Only them, staring into an inexplicable silence. Then Adora snapped back, inhaling sharply, handing him the paper with a trembling hand.
"Good... morning," she murmured, barely audible.
Alter took the sheet, his fingers unconsciously brushing hers. Warm. Real. His heart pounded violently, brown eyes radiating profound anguish. Yet he offered a faint smile.
"Morning..." he replied. A single word, yet it held all his unspoken emotions.
Adora quickly retreated to her seat. Her face burned, her heartbeat faltered.
Meanwhile, at the back, Alter watched her back. His fists clenched on the desk. This was real. He'd found 'Inessa'. Yet destiny, he knew, was playing with him.
**
Adora sat beside Briony, her best friend, who was meticulously arranging stationery—as usual. Sharpened pencils stood in rows, color-matched pens aligned neatly, a tiny cat-shaped eraser placed at the top-right corner.
Adora kept stealing glances toward the back, toward the boy who'd shaken her small world. She leaned in slightly and whispered, "Briony, why didn't anyone tell me we have a new student?"
Briony looked up, brows furrowed in confusion. "New student?" she echoed, staring at Adora as if she'd spoken a weird language.
Adora answered with a subtle nod toward Alter. The boy sat quietly, face turned to the large window framing the clear sky and drifting white clouds. Sunlight fell on his soft brown hair, making him resemble a living painting.
Briony followed her gaze, then frowned deeper. "Alter?" she mumbled, then smiled faintly as if amused by a minor mistake. "Adora, are you okay? He's been with us since last year. You two were even in the same biology presentation group last week. How could you forget?"
Adora's chest rumbled. Briony's words felt like icy wind stabbing through midday heat. She stared at her friend, searching for signs of a joke. But that sweet-faced girl with honey-toned skin looked serious, even slightly bewildered. No hint of teasing.
Briony shrugged, whispering with her signature suppressed giggle. "I know, he's handsome. Even I just realized we have a classmate hotter than your fiancé. Sorry, Adora… please don't tell Dimitry."
Adora stayed silent, lips pressed tight. Her heart raced strangely not just from Briony's words, but because this entire situation felt deeply unnatural.
Time slid by until lunch. Eclaire Academy's cafeteria looked magnificent, with rows of dark wood benches and gleaming marble tables. The air smelled of warm bread, cream cheese, and mushroom soup, mingling with freshly brewed coffee.
But Alter sat alone at the farthest bench, away from the cafeteria's laughter and chatter. His lunch tray lay untouched. His right hand held only a piece of dark chocolate—small and plain. He bit into it slowly, letting the bittersweet flavor fill his mouth. At least this tasted close to kikara fruit, a treat he missed from Evrolian.
His eyes drifted unconsciously to another bench. There sat Adora with Briony and a neatly combed black-haired boy in a loosely tied blue tie. Dimitry. Alter watched how close he was to Adora, how Dimitry's hand gently ruffled her hair. He could even hear their conversation.
"What's wrong, Babygirl? Is something bothering you?" Dimitry asked worriedly.
Before Adora could speak, Briony interrupted around a mouthful of salad, "Your Adora's upset, Dimi. She couldn't focus on the quiz earlier because she was thinking about someone. And guess who?"
Adora shot her a sharp look, met only by Briony's giggles. "No, I just didn't sleep well last night." She smiled faintly and resumed eating.
"Was it because of our argument yesterday? I know this is my fault." Dimitry's face fell.
"Oops." Briony realized she'd treaded into private territory.
"Dimitry, we agreed not to discuss it again," Adora said, trying to stay calm though tension flickered across her face. Dimitry opened his mouth to respond, but Briony cut in hastily.
"I don't wanna know what's going on between you two. But for now, Adora's time is mine. Okay, Archery star?" Briony winked at Dimitry as he stood. Before leaving, Dimitry gently kissed the top of Adora's head.
Watching this, Alter's chest felt slowly, surely crushed. Painful. Agonizing. He turned away, gripping the remaining chocolate until its wrapper crumpled. Its bitterness could no longer soothe his heart.
Slowly, he rose. The bench scraped softly, the sound drowned in the cafeteria's din. Without another glance, without caring for his untouched lunch, Alter walked away. Leaving it all behind the noise, the sight that nearly made him lose control.
His steps echoed down a quiet corridor, lit only by soft light from high stained-glass windows. And in his heart, only one whisper echoed—the name forever etched in his memory.
**
The evening breeze blew softly, carrying the scent of damp earth and pine from the forest surrounding Eclaire Academy like a natural fortress. At the edge of the lake, still as a mirror, stood an old wooden gazebo with simple carved pillars. Alter sat there, hunched forward, hands clasped tightly between his knees. His eyes stared blankly at the water's sunset-glittered surface, as if hoping nature's mirror would grant him answers.
Shadows of memory flashed. Two nights ago, feverish and wounded, he'd collapsed by this lake. Footsteps had approached. Rick, a man in his forties, hair graying at the temples, eyes gentle, voice calm. The academy librarian.
Rick, who secretly knew more than his humble face suggested. He'd given Alter water and a warm cloth. The rest, Alter shielded himself. The basic magic of the Evlorian royal bloodline flowed through him, awakening as his body entered this foreign land.
The magic twisted reality, creating an illusion that he was a long-term student here. A natural defense inherited by every royal descendant—to keep them inconspicuous in unknown, potentially threatening places.
Yet to this day, Alter still didn't know why the universe had hurled him into this world. A world without magic. And why, of all places, she had to be here. The girl felt like his wife reborn. Adora.
The name trembled in his mind just as soft footsteps sounded behind the gazebo. Alter lifted his head, and there, under the soft evening light, stood Adora. Hesitant, yet friendly. A faint smile graced her lips, like dawn light creeping through a window crack.
"You're the new student, right?" Adora greeted, her voice warm and soft.
Alter froze, as if time had stopped. His gaze traced her face. This girl was immune. The basic magic Alter used to deceive everyone here—it didn't work on her. She saw Alter as he truly was, a stranger.
Adora kept smiling, awaiting a reply that never came. "Welcome to Eclaire Academy," she finally said, her voice like a warm embrace to a long-frozen heart.
Alter went rigid. A gentle wind blew, sweeping Adora's black hair aside, revealing her neck. There, faint but real, was the symbol. A white flame. The mark of Evrolian. His homeland.
"Who are you?" Alter whispered, eyes sharpening, voice hoarse with restrained questions.
Adora assumed he simply wanted to know her. She smiled awkwardly, extending her hand. "I'm Adora Laurent."
Alter raised his hand—not to shake hers, but to reach out slowly, to confirm the truth he could barely believe. But before they touched, a loud voice shattered the silence.
"Adora!" Dimitry called.
Adora turned, face briefly flustered. She withdrew her hand slowly, glanced at Alter, and offered a small smile. "I'll go ahead …," she murmured before turning away.
Alter stayed silent, letting his eyes follow Adora until she vanished among the whispering pines. In his chest, the feeling tightened—confusing and painful all at once.
**