When I left the cafeteria, the air was cold and light, yet my chest still felt tight, as if the room remained suspended inside me.
I didn't look back; I kept walking with steady steps, like a taut thread that refuses to break.
At the door, Lina was standing there… motionless, as if she had been waiting for me from the start.
She looked at me with a gaze that carried no anger…
She spoke in a low voice:
"Why did you do that?"
I didn't stop…
I didn't answer…
I didn't even try to find the right words.
I passed by her without looking at her, as if I were fleeing from her… or perhaps from myself.
She said nothing else. Her eyes simply followed me until I disappeared around the corner of the hallway.
---
At the same time, Lina remained in the hallway, staring at the space Ryon had left.
Her gaze shifted between the floor and the emptiness behind him, as if trying to grasp the remnants of his presence and understand what had changed in him.
She whispered to herself:
"He wasn't like this… ever."
She raised her hand for a moment, then lowered it slowly. It wasn't anger, but curiosity—a silent attempt to comprehend the change she had noticed in someone she thought she knew well.
She breathed deeply, reflecting on what had just happened.
She whispered in a low voice:
"Have I lost him again?"
---
I closed the door, sat on the bed, and buried my face in my hands, yet the thoughts wouldn't stop.
Why did I do that?
Why couldn't I control myself?
I knew his words weren't important… yet they reached the one place inside me that still pulsed with love and fear for my brother.
Images flooded my mind:
How is my brother… is he eating well?
Does he feel lonely?
Does he miss me?
The questions raced in my head without pause, refusing me any calm.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself and remind myself of what mattered most.
My goal was clear, despite all the pain…
My goal was to return to my brother, to see him again…
---
The training hall, usually full of students, was almost empty, since it was the start of the year and most were busy socializing…
Social training was important in the nobility circle, so Asar had encouraged attendance at such gatherings…
All of this, except for a few individuals…
"So, you're here."
The exception was Zion… drenched from head to toe, sword in hand, standing before a nearly broken training dummy.
He froze when he heard a voice. I looked back and saw a girl with purple hair. She smiled at me, a refreshing smile.
"Jina? What brings you here?"
I knew I would find you here… what do you say we take a tour?"
"I haven't finished training yet."
At the moment I heard her words, I noticed the frown on her face…
"Training… shouldn't you think of anything else?"
I stayed silent, giving the same expression as my reply.
"Seriously?"
She grabbed my hand and pulled me with force…
"Forget some training for now and come with me…
You weren't like this at all when we were kids."
I glanced at her slender hand that was pulling my arm… though it looked delicate from the outside, it was strong like pincers… I felt the calluses on her fingers, proof of long, intense training…
Jina Ronflod… was a childhood friend…
I looked at her for a moment.
"I'm coming, so you can let go of my arm… I won't run anywhere."
"Ah."
Perhaps she had gone too far that time, so she quickly released my arm with a hint of embarrassment on her face…
"Sorry."
"It's okay."
---
After walking side by side, she turned to me…
"When I saw you at the academy, I felt a strange shock… I couldn't believe it was you. Where have you been all this time?"
I looked at her for a moment in silence, unable to find words, remaining mute.
When she noticed I wasn't replying, she quickly changed her question:
"Tell me… why did you enter the academy?"
I had no difficulty answering that question… after all, my goal had always been one thing…
"To gain more power."
Jina tilted her head when she heard my answer…
"To become the strongest, huh? Even though you're not the strongest person, but of the academy."
I shook my head in response…
"I'm still just an insect."
"I wonder what others will think when they hear the top-ranked person say that."
I was about to say something when loud voices interrupted my thoughts…
I saw many students gathering toward the cafeteria as if they were watching a show…
"What's happening?"
I asked instinctively, and Jina replied:
"I don't know… maybe something happened."
"Are you interested? Shall we go? Shall we go see what's happening?"
"Alright."
---
We pushed our way through the crowd…
And I focused all my attention on the spot the students were looking at.
I saw two figures: one shouting loudly, the other staring at him indifferently.
"What's causing all this noise—"
Jina appeared behind me, and as she was about to speak, she suddenly stopped mid-sentence…
...
opened my eyes slowly, and the light slipped through my window, filling the room shyly, as if afraid to wake me.
I sat on the edge of the bed and pulled myself up, leaning on my hands, while my thoughts wandered to what I had done yesterday… but honestly, there was nothing worth worrying about.
Everything seemed as it was, and nothing would change much.
I quickly changed my clothes and left the room.
I fiddled with my smartwatch to check which class I had today… a few minutes of checking, and the answer came: History class.
On my way to class, I felt everyone's eyes following me.
I no longer got angry or surprised; I had gotten used to it… but today their looks were different, more focused, as if they were trying to figure something out about me.
When my eyes met one of them, he quickly looked away, avoiding confrontation, as if I were both a source of fear and curiosity at the same time.
I let out a long sigh, knowing full well what would happen after everything I had done recently…
I sat at my desk, trying to focus on the lesson, though their occasional glances never stopped, gradually fraying my nerves.
I felt like I had become a famous figure among the students, even though this class was far from interesting.
Everything was about ancient empires and historical events that never captured my attention.
The lesson was incredibly boring, and I almost dozed off at my desk several times while trying to prevent myself from drifting into deep sleep.
Ding! Ding!
"Oh my God, it seems the class is over. See you next time."
The professor packed his things with a calm smile and left the room.
I didn't know much about the history teacher, except that he seemed very strong and had a presence that commanded respect.
He was middle-aged but still maintained a toned body, reflecting years of care and discipline.
His hair was black with gray strands at the temples, and his eyes radiated sharpness and insight, as if he could read beyond words…
After leaving history class, I headed to my room to change for the "Combat Training" course—a new class added this year, where students could fight freely… I really cursed the person who added this course.
I took off my academy uniform and put on a black training suit.
It was very tight, and every movement felt like a struggle against my own skin.
Each step was heavy, and every muscle was tense, as if the suit itself was trying to control my body.
Then I left my room and took my first look at the campus around me, feeling its vastness.
At the top left of the campus was the lecture area, with three oval-shaped buildings, each designated for a different school year, and small gardens and fountains between them, providing a calming contrast to the students' noise.
Next to it was a student-free area, where the professors' offices were located.
In the middle stood a tall building resembling a glass pyramid, giving the place a formal atmosphere.
If I needed to ask a question or meet a professor, I would have to go there.
The distance to the open training grounds, located on the western side, was very long. Every step felt like a challenge, and every muscle in my body was compressed by the tight suit, making my movements look unnatural and slow…
Finally, I reached the training arena....