The gentle sound of the wind swayed the leaves, creating a contrast between the calm outside world and the restlessness dominating Seraphina's mind.
Each step she took through the gardens seemed to echo louder than it should, as if the environment itself wanted to remind her of her presence.
'What an annoyingly calm place.'
Her gaze wandered across the tall trees and perfectly aligned flowers.
For many, it was a haven of peace. For her, it was a space where silence amplified unwanted thoughts.
"Tsk, what a waste of beauty, don't you agree?"
She spoke to a bird perched on a tree branch.
"Author's Note: Image"
However, as if offended by her words, it spread its wings and flew away, completely ignoring her presence.
"Hah, as if Luna wasn't enough, now even birds don't want to listen to me."
"..."
"...."
Seraphina continued through the garden until she spotted Arthur, sitting on a bench under the shade of a tree, completely unaware of the world around him.
He held a sword on his lap, his eyes lost in the scenery, as if searching for something beyond the visible.
"So, this is where you're hiding."
Seraphina's voice cut through the tranquility.
Arthur raised his gaze and smiled when he saw her.
"Hiding? Not really. Let's just say I chose a more... serene place to think. You should try it; it can be therapeutic."
Seraphina scoffed, crossing her arms as she approached.
"Therapeutic? That sounds like something from someone who's given up on fighting."
Arthur chuckled softly, shaking his head.
"Or maybe it's from someone who's learned to value what calmness has to offer."
"Sure, garden sage. And what are you learning that's so important here?"
Arthur lifted the sword, studying it for a moment before replying.
"Many things, actually. Focus, mental control, the rhythm of one's own body. All of that is easier to work on here, away from the academy's distractions."
He paused, as if pondering something, before adding:
"I thought the same earlier when I saw Evan training. He seemed to be learning more about himself in this silence than most people do in a whole day of dueling."
Seraphina raised an eyebrow, surprised by the mention.
"Evan? He was here?"
Arthur nodded, observing her with curiosity.
"Yeah, he was. He was so immersed in training he barely noticed me."
Seraphina averted her gaze, her mind spinning around the image Arthur had just painted.
The curiosity she tried to ignore returned with full force, fueled by her friend's words.
"And where did he go?"
She tried to sound indifferent, but failed miserably.
Arthur noticed her tone and didn't miss the chance to tease her.
"Since when are you so interested in Evan's training habits? Is there something I should know?"
"Go to hell, Arthur."
"Hahaha."
Her sharp response carried humor, enough to make Arthur laugh, shaking his head as he recognized her typical sarcasm.
Seraphina's cheeks turned slightly pink, but she quickly hid it.
Arthur, still smiling, replied while resting the sword on his shoulder in a relaxed manner.
"About Evan, I know. It's been a while since I saw him. He went down the path you came from, so if you didn't see him, he's probably already gone."
Seraphina frowned, lightly biting her lower lip as she processed the information.
'The kind that only shows up when he wants something.'
Arthur raised an eyebrow, as if he could read her thoughts, and answered:
"Maybe he's just not great with people, which makes him hard to find."
He spoke casually, but the gleam in his eyes made it clear he was still enjoying her reaction.
"Are you really going to stare at me like I'm curious? Don't make me laugh, Arthur. I have much more important things to worry about."
But her cheeks still carried a faint pink hue, which made Arthur laugh again while shaking his head.
"If you say so..."
Arthur laughed but didn't push further. He knew that despite her casual tone, there was something deeper in her curiosity. Perhaps something she didn't want to share.
After a brief silence, Arthur stood up.
"Want to take advantage of being here to train? You won't find many other opportunities this... therapeutic."
Seraphina uncrossed her arms, placing one hand on her hip, raising an eyebrow with a challenging smile.
"Therapeutic? I initially came for a duel, but I think beating you up might actually be fun right now."
"Always so confident. I think I'll enjoy seeing how far this 'fun' goes."
—————————————————————————————————
6:34 PM
After an exhausting day at Spectra, the comfort of home was a welcomed relief.
In that small space, I wasn't the overburdened student of a hero academy, a writer, or the bearer of a curse.
There, I was just Evan, the older brother of Noah and Emma.
The soft sound of laughter and the occasional scratch of pencils on paper guided me to the living room.
Noah and Emma were sitting on the carpet, surrounded by an organized chaos of papers, colored pencils, and books. They were so focused that, for a moment, it was as if the outside world didn't exist.
"Hey, guys! How was your day?"
Emma was the first to respond, jumping up from the floor with a paper in hand, her energy practically overflowing.
"Evan, look at what I made today!"
I couldn't help but laugh at the sight.
She waved the drawing back and forth, as if it were the greatest achievement in the world.
I carefully took the sheet.
It was a colorful tangle of abstract shapes, but her enthusiasm was so contagious that I ended up feeling as happy as she was.
"Wow, Emma! This is amazing! I think we have a future artist in the family."
She laughed, satisfied, and threw herself back on the floor.
Noah, sitting upright with his usual air of premature maturity, looked up from his book and decided to speak.
"That's nothing! I got a ten on my math test today. Oh, and I even helped Leo with his homework. He's terrible with fractions."
The way Noah spoke was amusing. It was as if he wanted to emphasize that such achievements were completely natural for him.
I crouched down to their level, placing a hand on Noah's shoulder.
"That's amazing, Noah. I'm proud of you. Not only did you do well, but you also helped someone else."
He tried to hide his smile, but I knew he appreciated the recognition.
'Looks like I nailed the compliment.'
Emma, unable to stay out of the spotlight for long, flopped onto the couch, kicking her feet in the air.
"Evan, what are we eating today? I'm hungry!"
I laughed at her impatience, standing up from the floor.
"How about... pancakes for dinner? Quick, easy, and everyone loves them."
Noah raised an eyebrow, surprised.
"Pancakes for dinner? Okay, I want to see this."
Emma jumped off the couch, nearly hitting the ceiling.
"With chocolate? With fruit? With everything?!" she exclaimed, her eyes sparkling.
"We'll see what we can put together. But first, you two need to wash your hands. I'll need your help in the kitchen."
The two of them raced to the bathroom, competing to see who could get back first.
I took the opportunity to gather the ingredients while the sound of their laughter echoed through the house, filling the space with a comforting energy.
—————————————————————————————————
Soon, the familiar aroma of pancakes filled the kitchen, bringing warmth and comfort to the air.
Emma and Noah stood by my side, eager, as I finished stacking the last golden pancake on the plate.
Emma tried to grab one, but I raised the spatula with a firm smile.
"Ahn!" I made a short sound to get their attention.
"Hold on, young lady. Before you dive into the pancakes, you need to eat real food. No dessert without dinner."
Noah huffed, crossing his arms, but he knew complaining wouldn't help.
"Come on, Evan! Pancakes could count as real food, right?"
I shook my head, pointing to the plate I had prepared earlier.
"Dinner first, then you can have pancakes. And no whining."
Emma sighed, making an exaggerated face, but she soon gave in, picking up her fork with resignation and sitting at the table.
"Fine, but only because I want to try the chocolate one..." she muttered, twirling pasta around her fork.
Noah, ever the practical one, started eating and didn't miss the chance to tease her.
"You're so easy to convince, Emma."
'But you're doing the same thing she is, Noah.'
I sat with them, taking the moment to relax.
The clinking of forks against plates and their small arguments over who would eat more pancakes filled the kitchen with lightheartedness.
As soon as they finished, Emma practically leapt from her chair.
"I'm done! Now I can make my pancake tower!" she shouted, running to the counter, with Noah right behind her.
"Not so fast! Wash your hands before touching the food," I called, raising the spoon to reinforce my command.
They raced to the bathroom, laughing and pushing each other along the way, while I took the moment of calm to organize the plates and prepare the toppings.
"Honestly. Those two..."
—————————————————————————————————
Spectra – Cafeteria
The cafeteria was noisier than I would have liked, filled with students laughing and discussing plans for the next training session.
I grabbed my tray and chose the most isolated spot I could find, near a window.
I just wanted to eat in peace and, hopefully, leave before anyone decided to bother me.
My meal was simple – pasta with a basic sauce and some vegetables – functional.
It wasn't a memorable dish, but it did the job of keeping my energy up.
I picked up the fork and started twirling the pasta slowly, my thoughts wandering.
The professor's words from a few days ago still echoed in my mind, annoying me more than I cared to admit.
"Do you really think you can split your focus between Spectra and your siblings?"
'These bastards don't understand.' I thought, letting the fork fall onto the plate.
The smell of tomato sauce seemed less appetizing now.
I knew I should ignore it, but the implication that Noah and Emma were a burden kept haunting me.
I sighed, shaking my head to clear the thoughts.
I needed to focus on the present.
I grabbed the glass of water beside me, sipping slowly as my eyes wandered around the cafeteria. Most of the students were absorbed in their own conversations, laughing and discussing the next Spectra competition.
They lived in a world so different from mine. For them, Spectra was everything. For me, it was just another part of something much bigger.
'At least I can eat without interruptions,' I thought, but the relief was short-lived.
A shadow appeared at the corner of my vision.
When I looked up, there was Maya, standing with a tray in her hands and a hesitant smile on her face.
My goal was simple: eat quickly and disappear before someone decided to start a conversation.
But, apparently, that was too much to ask.
Her blonde hair fell in loose waves, and she seemed to be gathering courage to speak.
"Evan... hi." Her voice was low, almost drowned out by the cafeteria noise.
"Hi, Maya."
My reply was brief but not rude. Even so, I hoped she'd take the hint and move on.
But, of course, that didn't seem to be the case.
"Are you... busy? I mean, besides, you know, eating."
Maya let out a nervous giggle, adjusting the tray in her hands.
I sighed internally at the scene. It was funny, but a part of me already knew what she might want.
"You don't plan on eating while standing, do you?"
"Uh... of course not," she said as she sat down.
"..."
She hesitated, biting her lip as if deciding whether to continue.
"I wanted... to ask for your help."
The words spilled out hurriedly, as if she needed to get them out before her courage evaporated.
I frowned, already disliking where this was headed.
How could someone who needs help with everything possibly help someone else with anything?
I wondered.
"Help with what?"
"Magic."
"What??"
"During the practical exam, I saw how you controlled your shadows. It was incredible. I need to improve my magic control, and I think you can teach me."
'Not a chance.'
I sighed, shaking my head.
"Maya, I'm not a teacher. And honestly, I'm not interested in giving lessons."
She looked up, her eyes shining with determination despite her shyness.
"I'm not asking for full lessons. Just a few tips. Please. I really need to improve."
She was truly determined, but my first instinct was to say "no" again.
I had too much on my plate to deal with this. But before I could shut the conversation down, she pressed on.
"I can pay. In Zens. I know everyone's using their time to train, so I can compensate you for yours."
That caught me off guard.
I hadn't expected her to try using money to convince me.
'Looks like my time has finally come.'
I crossed my arms, still pretending disinterest.
Money was always useful, and maybe this could be an advantage for me since my wallet was perpetually empty.
"Pay?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
She nodded quickly, relieved that I was at least considering it.
"Yes. I know it's asking a lot, and you probably have other things to do... but if I can make up for your time, maybe..."
Maya nodded again, as if clinging to the chance to convince me before I could change my mind.
"Yes. I know it's asking a lot, and you probably have other things to do... but if I can make up for your time, maybe..."
I let out a deep sigh, leaning my elbows on the table while pausing dramatically.
To someone like Maya, it might have looked like hesitation, but in truth, it was entirely calculated.
Not that I was proud of it, but my time doing school theater before ending up in this world had left me with an unexpected skill.
Whether it was faking emotions or manipulating expressions, I knew how to make someone believe whatever I wanted. And at that moment, I needed to look reluctant.
I let my gaze wander to the plate of pasta, as if I were seriously considering her proposal like some kind of philosophical master.
In reality, I was laughing internally at the situation.
'You're about to make money, Evan, without doing anything. Damn... keep your face straight.'
Maya seized the calculated silence to keep talking.
"I can pay... 1,000 zens per week."
The spoon in my hand froze mid-air. I looked at her, blinking slowly, trying to process what I had just heard.
'A thousand zens?'
My brain did the math before I could even register it.
It was nearly half of what I earned at Spectra in a month. For some "tips"?
I had to fight the urge to spit out water I hadn't even drunk yet.
Maya, probably interpreting my surprised look as genuine reluctance, hurried to explain herself.
"I know it's not much... but I can't afford more than that. My parents are strict about how much money I can spend each month. They limit my allowance to make sure I 'learn financial responsibility' or something like that."
She made air quotes, her tone a mix of frustration and resignation.
I already knew that. Her family had a reputation for discipline and control, even though they were filthy rich.
But at that moment, her explanation flew straight over my head.
I had to maintain my composure, though I felt my jaw wanting to drop to the floor.
I straightened up in my chair, gripping the fork tightly and forcing myself to stay composed.
Sure, my heart was racing, and my brain could only echo "a thousand zens per week?" in an endless loop.
'Calm down, Evan. Keep your face straight. Act.'
I took a deep breath and leaned back, running a hand over my chin as if I were still unsure.
"A hundred... thousand? I mean, a thousand zens?" I asked in a carefully neutral voice, trying to sound like someone who wasn't about to fall out of their chair.
Maya nodded, noticing nothing out of the ordinary.
"Yes, I know it might not seem like much, but I think it's fair for the time you'll spend. I won't ask anything from you that you can't teach."
A thousand zens seems fair? Maya, you're basically paying me to breathe near you!
After thinking for a moment and mentally wandering about what to do with the money, I looked at Maya again.
She was sitting across from me, resting her face in her hand while her gaze stayed fixed on me, almost as if she were afraid of my answer.
"Author's Note: Image"
Her blue eyes looked even larger, shimmering with silent expectation, while her cheeks already displayed a rosy hue—maybe from shyness or the anxiety of the moment.
Still trying to keep up the act, I let out a long sigh and exaggerated a weary look, as if I were about to give in to an impossible favor.
"Alright," I murmured, shaking my head with the expression of someone being extremely generous.
Maya smiled immediately, her eyes glowing with gratitude.
"Thank you, Evan! You won't regret this. I promise I'll do my best!"
She immediately began planning the details of the training, talking about schedules and locations, but I could barely pay attention.
The image of a thousand zens kept floating in my mind like an impossible dream.
A thousand zens per week... I should be teaching every month!
Keeping my serious expression as Maya talked, I simply nodded here and there. Inside, however, I was silently celebrating.
====
After eating and a longer conversation with Maya than I had anticipated, I finally left the cafeteria.
The afternoon sun filtered through Spectra's large windows, casting long shadows on the floor.
Still savoring the relief of securing some good money, I walked with my hands in my pockets, already planning to spend the rest of the day far from any trouble.
That's when I saw her.
"Author's Note: Image"
Seraphina was leaning against the corridor wall, arms crossed and her sharp gaze fixed forward, as if she were about to interrogate someone. Her red hair, tied in a ponytail as always, glistened under the light, and the Spectra uniform looked even more imposing with that serious expression on her face.
For a moment, I froze.
'Why does she look like that? Is she waiting for someone?'
My gaze dropped to the floor, avoiding hers.
They say that when you cross paths with an angry dog on the street, the trick is not to make eye contact.
Looking directly into their eyes can be interpreted as a challenge, and before you know it, you're being bitten.
For some ridiculous reason, that thought popped into my head at that moment.
And honestly, comparing Seraphina's expression to that of a dog about to attack... well, maybe the comparison wasn't entirely unfair.
Trying to convince myself that this had nothing to do with me, I decided to take a chance.
I kept my eyes down, focused on the end of the corridor, and adjusted my pace as if I hadn't noticed her presence.
'This will work. Just ignore her.'
Or at least, that's what I wanted to believe.
At the exact moment I walked past her, Seraphina stepped away from the wall in one swift motion, so fast it looked like she had trained for it.
Suddenly, she was standing right in front of me, arms still crossed, staring at me with an expression that seemed to say:
"Are you seriously trying to ignore me after making me wait?"