"So, Wolfe? Tell me a little about yourself."
The sudden introspective question startled Wolfe. Nova, who sat besides him, looked intently at Wolfe, waiting for an answer.
Wolfe looked at his plate nervously. He had never been approached by anyone inquisitive before. And never by a girl. Ever.
Nova's blue eyes pierced Wolfe's unstable confidence, making him sweat a little. Her hair, a grave contrast to her eyes, was red with streaks of black mixed in. Her skin was fairly lighter than Wolfe's, indicating that she rarely went out of her room.
She was shorter than Wolfe, standing at 5 feet 6 inches. Wolfe had grown three inches taller over the course of the previous month and he would probably grow even more.
But what she lacked in height, she clearly made up in combat skills. As Wolfe had witnessed earlier, Nova was proficient in handling both a spear and a cutlass. He could only imagine how many other weapons she had mastered.
Wolfe fumbled for words as Nova's gaze dug deeper.
"Well, since you're that nervous, I guess I'll start."
A relieved sigh left Wolfe as Nova took the initiative.
"As I said earlier, I'm Nova Emblaze. I don't particularly dislike anything. I do like many things though. Despite the Emblaze blood flowing through me, I really like fighting. And I'd go as far as to say that I'm pretty good at it."
The two laughed in unison, but Wolfe sensed the serious pride behind her comment. .
"That should be enough for now." Nova said excitedly. "Your turn."
Wolfe wasn't caught off guard by the question this time. He had enough time to gather his thoughts, but knew his answers would raise conflicted feelings between the two of them. He couldn't exactly tell her that he hated royals, considering how she was one. For his likes, he had nothing in particular. He liked talking to people, but clearly wasn't good at it.
Embarrassed by his family's social status, Wolfe decided to keep it hidden for longer. By the looks people gave him, it was clear that they knew where he came from. But he didn't want to say it out loud in case Nova didn't know already.
Knowing he couldn't stall the conversation for any longer, Wolfe said whatever was in his mind. "I dislike people who use their power greedily. They infuriate me." Wolfe was clearly talking about royals, but the lack of specification made it impossible for Nova to know. To her it just seemed like he was talking about people in general, royals and commoners.
"I really like my parents," Wolfe blurted out without care. He knew a follow up question was on its way already as Nova's lips began moving.
"That's it? Just your parents, nothing else?"
Wolfe decided to push through with his earlier statement, agreeing with what Nova had asked.
Nova sighed as she leaned back into her chair. She stared up at the ceiling for a while, lost in thought. Wolfe couldn't help but get lost in her innate beauty. The fact that she had approached him first just escalated his feelings of glee.
Nova was aware of Wolfe's gaze, but understood that no malintent hung behind it. From the limited interactions she had had with him, she could tell that Wolfe was always nervous. Always anxious.
Despite her understanding, it was clear that she was the only one of the pair able to hold a conversation. Talking to Wolfe was like trying to converse with a brick wall. But she tried nonetheless. Her gut told her to.
She smiled, laughing lightly as Wolfe turned back to his food immediately as they made eye-contact. His face was flushed red with embarrassment, making Nova laugh even more.
The two left the Kitchen together, Wolfe still clouded with embarrassment. His anxiety from earlier, though, had been lifted slightly due to the lack of scornful eyes digging into his back. He felt free in Nova's presence, but knew to stay within the boundaries and maintain some composure.
The pair walked silently to the Dormitories, exchanging farewells as Nova walked up to her room on the second floor. Just like Ray, she too had a whole room to herself.
Wolfe returned to his room on the ground floor, still not knowing who his roommate was. The room door was open halfway, but Wolfe knew for a fact that he had closed it before leaving earlier.
He walked in with caution, greeted by a disastrous scene. Clothes hung all over the place on top of cupboards and tables alike. Wolfe stared in horror at his bed, the brand new sheets torn to shreds and the pillow thrown out of sight.
The perpetrator of this mess stood silently in the middle of the room with one hand behind their back. Their dark blue hair extended a little over their shoulders, curling at the tips. Their clothes seemed simple, like Wolfe's, but their demeanour was completely different from that of a royal or commoner.
"Who are you?" Wolfe said cautiously, readying his [Flame Fist] in case the intruder made an unexpected move.
No answer came. Instead the perpetrator turned around, revealing a scanty beard that barely connected their side-burns to the chin.
"You must be Wolfe." They said in a fairly deep voice as a warm, yet creepy, smile creeped across their face.
"I'm Axel Fulgur. Nice to finally meet you, Wolfe. Let's enjoy each other's company for the next 4 years."