Ash opened his eyes, greeted by the soft rays of morning sunlight filtering through the curtains. He yawned, stretched his limbs, and prepared for the day ahead. After a quick bath, he donned his usual attire and stepped out of his room, heading toward the dining hall for breakfast.
The aroma of freshly cooked food greeted him as he entered the hall. Sitting down, he began eating quietly, savoring the warmth of the meal. Just as he was taking a sip of tea, a sweet, feminine voice called out from behind him, filled with surprise and delight.
"Ash?"
Startled, he turned around to see a stunningly beautiful young woman standing there. She had long, flowing black hair and piercing black eyes, her elegant black one-piece dress enhancing her natural grace. Her gaze held a mix of curiosity and happiness as she looked at him.
"You're here?" she exclaimed, her voice laced with excitement. "I was wondering why I hadn't seen you around at the Academy!"
Ash's mind clicked, recognizing her from his fragmented memories. She was Kiara, the elder sister of his best friend and one of the few people who genuinely cared for the original Ash, treating him like her own younger brother.
For a moment, he simply stared at her, the warmth of familiarity washing over him. Kiara tilted her head and waved her hand in front of his face, a teasing smile playing on her lips.
"Mesmerized, aren't you?" she joked. "Hehe, I know, I'm the most beautiful lady in the world."
Her confident, lighthearted remark snapped him out of his thoughts. His eyes widened for a moment before he burst into laughter, the sound filling the hall. He wasn't sure why, but being around her made him feel at ease—a comfort he hadn't realized he desperately needed.
Unable to suppress his emotions, he stood up and hugged her tightly. Kiara froze for a second, surprised, but quickly returned the gesture, wrapping her arms around him and patting his back gently.
"Hey," she said softly, "what's gotten into you?"
Pulling back, Ash gave her a small smile. "Nothing big," he replied, though his words didn't match the emotions swirling in his chest.
Kiara wasn't convinced. Her sharp eyes bore into his, silently demanding the truth. She always had this uncanny ability to read me, Ash thought. Wanting to avoid her probing gaze, he quickly diverted the conversation.
"By the way," he said, "why are you here? Shouldn't you be at the Academy?"
Kiara rolled her eyes but humored his attempt to change the topic. "Not just me," she said with a grin. "My whole batch is here. All the fourth-years, along with some of the teachers."
"Why?" Ash asked, tilting his head.
"Well, for the labyrinth, of course!" she replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "Why else would we come here?"
"Oh," Ash said, nodding. He invited her to join him for breakfast, but Kiara hesitated, glancing toward a table at the back of the hall. Ash followed her gaze and noticed a group of 18–20 girls seated there, chatting and waiting for their meals.
"They're my group," Kiara explained with a sheepish smile. "We're taking it easy today, but starting tomorrow, we'll be exploring the labyrinth together."
Ash raised an eyebrow. "Wait, all of them? That's your exploration group? Twenty people in a single party?"
"Of course," Kiara said nonchalantly. "We need safety in numbers, and with so many students participating, there are plenty of other groups as well."
Ash nodded, though internally he was bewildered. "Isn't a party supposed to have, like, four or five members with different roles? A frontliner, an archer, a healer…?" He shook his head, dismissing the thought. "What am I thinking? This isn't an anime."
"Alright then," he said aloud, "you should go eat with your group. Let's catch up later."
Kiara, however, wasn't about to let him off so easily. She grabbed his hand, her lips curling into a mischievous smile.
"Nah, let's do this," she said. "We can all eat together!"
"No," Ash said firmly, pulling his hand back. The idea of sitting with a group of 20 girls was terrifying. "I'll be like a sheep thrown into a den of lions. No thanks. I have no desire to become their topic of gossip."
Kiara chuckled at his reaction but didn't press further. "Fine," she said, taking a seat beside him.
Just as he breathed a sigh of relief, she added with a sly grin, "Then I'll eat with you here."
Ash froze. His eyes darted toward the girls' table, and sure enough, every single one of them was looking in their direction. He could feel the weight of their gazes—curious, amused, and, to his horror, somewhat provocative.
He glanced at Kiara, who smiled sweetly, though her expression felt more like that of a devil enjoying her handiwork. "She's morally forcing me!" he realized, exasperated.
Resigned to his fate, he sighed and said, "Fine. Let's go."
Before he could change his mind, Kiara grabbed his hand and led him to the group's table. The girls greeted her warmly, their eyes flickering toward Ash with interest as he awkwardly sat down among them.
Ash couldn't help but feel like he'd just walked into a battlefield, but he kept his composure, determined to get through the meal unscathed.