Lukas and Stella enjoyed their meals together, making pleasant small talk as they ate. Lukas was careful not to pry too deeply into her personal affairs, given their difference in status. But he hoped to gain her trust over time.
As they ate, Lukas asked Stella more about her classes and studies. "Which elemental courses are you focusing on?" he inquired.
She replied, "Mostly wind manipulation so far, to complement my affinity."
He went on. "What other subjects do you enjoy? I find runic array construction fascinating myself."
He had already decided she would be on his team! He had to get as close as possible.
As Stella considered Lukas' question, she noticed his sincere interest seemed genuine, though she remained cautious given his status.
"Runic arrays do intrigue me as well," she replied slowly. "I enjoy puzzles and finding hidden connections. Master Chen says I have a gift for visualizing magical formulas."
She took a small bite of her meal before continuing. "I am going to focus on training in close combat."
"Good, good," Lukas muttered.
And thus the conversation continued for quite a while. Lukas didn't care about making himself seem weird in front of her. An ally with temporal shift could help him greatly. He knew thinking like this wasn't right. But he didn't have any choice. He had to stop many incoming situations, saving many in the process.
And now they were heading towards the sigil library. Lukas tagged along, quite forcefully.
Stella could only comply. He was on guard. She had already noticed his quiet interest in her.
The thought of him falling for her also crossed her mind. But she shook it away, thinking how could one of the owsdins like her. She wasn't that beautiful either, compared to her half-siblings.
She bought some mentatory sigils focusing on her wind attribute. Lukas suggested that he should buy some for her, "For the start of our friendship."
But she declined and bought them with her own credit points. This time she was sure Lukas was interested in her. There was no other way she could explain it. Her father always told her, "There's no free lunch in the world. If someone is interested in you and shows too much goodwill, you can conclude two reasons: first, it's for your treasure and benefits, and second, if it's a male, it's for your looks."
She glanced at Lukas as they exited the library. She didn't know what to do now! There were no boys that openly conveyed their feelings like him before. She didn't know how to handle the situation.
"Should I be clear with him? That I want to focus on my studies?" she thought before shaking her head.
"No, what if he gets sad and offended?"
"Should I not appear in front of him anymore?" Stella wrestled with her thoughts as they left the library. Lukas walked beside her, seemingly lost in his own musings. She couldn't deny the flutter in her chest whenever she caught him stealing glances at her. Yet, her father's words echoed in her mind, cautioning her against trusting too easily.
As they walked, Stella decided to take a more cautious approach. She would maintain a friendly demeanor but keep a safe distance, focusing on her studies and training. Maybe Lukas would lose interest over time, or perhaps he truly meant well. Regardless, she couldn't afford any distractions from her goals.
If only Lukas would know what she was thinking, he would cough out mouthfuls of blood. Despite being reincarnated from childhood, he wasn't a child! He was still a grown-up adult in mind.
And thus, from a young age, he treated others his age as younglings. And to think a twelve to thirteen-year-old kid would think he's doing this for love and has fallen for her would really make him cough up blood.
Stella's intuition served her well. While Lukas' intentions were not romantic in nature, she rightly sensed there were undercurrents to his interest in her beyond simple friendship.
Lukas' mind was still occupied with plans and calculations, weighing how Stella's talents could help him achieve his goals. But he failed to consider how his focused attention might be considered as love!
Stella and Lukas both walked toward their dorm. She maintained an appropriate distance, as her father's words had warned her to be cautious about too much goodwill.
That was not the only thing resonating in her mind.
Her thoughts were grappling together.
"How should I deal with the current situation?" she pondered.
"It's clear Lukas likes me; those subtle glances with his sideway eyes as we walk... What should I do? Yeah, I can just not interact with him from now on... No, that will be weird. So, should I confront him directly? Nah, what if it's just me overthinking?"
"Stelle, I have something to tell you," Lukas's sudden words interrupted her thoughts. Not for long, just for a mere breath. In the next blink, her mind was filled with chaotic possibilities.
Is this it? Will Lukas confess to her? Is this the moment of truth?
Her heartbeat climbed up, beating subtly. She put her hand on her chest as her cheeks blushed.
"How should I answer him?"
"There is a reason why I am with you, and I have to tell you now..."
[To be continued...]