As Kaelen bid farewell to Christopher, he awkwardly raised his hand in an exaggerated, cringeworthy gesture, grinning in an overly serious manner. "You did well, young one," he said, his tone full of false bravado. "Learn from this defeat, and perhaps one day, you'll reach my level."
Christopher stared blankly at him for a moment, unsure how to respond. He gave a stiff nod, still processing his loss, while Kaelen turned on his heel and walked off the platform with a confident, almost theatrical stride.
As Kaelen approached Eldric and Lila, both of them looked amused by his behavior. Eldric raised an eyebrow, half-smiling. "You're really getting into this 'senior' role, huh?" he teased.
Lila chuckled, a bright sparkle in her eyes. "I think someone's been in the Academy too long. Next thing you know, Kaelen, you'll be giving lectures on swordsmanship to freshmen."
