Frederick glanced between the two girls with a friendly smile. "Alright, ladies, I think I'll take my leave now for you to continue your conversation in peace. No need for me to be the third wheel here," he said, his tone lighthearted. He turned toward the door, gesturing for the remaining council members to follow him. As they left, the atmosphere shifted, leaving only Reese and Valentine in the quiet room.
With a playful smirk, Reese crossed her arms. "I might've been upset with you for not being at the arena during the most important moment," she began, "but I've been told you were drowning in council work, so I'll let it slide this time."
Valentine, sitting on her chair, gave Reese an exaggerated pout, her eyes wide with mock innocence. "don't be mad at me, please!" she pleaded. "The preparations for the upcoming Summer Farewell Festival are practically draining my soul." She let out a long, dramatic sigh, her shoulders slumping under the imaginary weight of her duties.
Reese chuckled and pulled out a chair, settling into it with ease. "I can see that."
Valentine perked up, her eyes sparkling as she pointed toward a telescope barely visible behind piles of paperwork. "But it's not true that I didn't watch your duel. I saw the entire match from here," she declared proudly.
Reese's eyes widened. "Wait, really?"
"Yup!" Valentine nodded enthusiastically. "You see, with that telescope, the whole arena is visible from up here."
Reese glanced out the large window and then back at the telescope, realizing the truth in her friend's words. "Yeah, that makes sense. This room is so high up, you can practically see the entire academy from here." She grinned, her tone teasing,"It must be handy for spying."
Valentine laughed softly. "True, and thanks to the academy's moving stairs, it's a little less of a hassle to get all the way up here. Otherwise, climbing up nine floors would be an ordeal."
The Aetherium Academy, prestigious as it was, utilized the most advanced magical technologies seamlessly integrated with science. The magical moving stairs, for instance, allowed students to travel between floors with ease—an essential feature in a building of such grand scale.
Valentine leaned forward as she said. "I saw everything, Reese."
Reese's lips curled into a grin. "And? What did you think?"
Valentine narrowed her eyes playfully, crossing her arms over her chest. "Impressive, but you nearly gave me a heart attack! I swear, my blood pressure shot up tenfold watching you."
"You had nothing to worry about," Reese replied confidently. "I told you I'd shift the spotlight onto myself, didn't I?"
Valentine sighed, shaking her head. "You did, but I didn't think you'd stir up that kind of storm as soon as you arrived. I knew you'd manage to win, given your skills, but I couldn't help worrying. There's always a risk of getting injured, even when you're the best."
Reese gave a small, appreciative nod. "I get it, and I do appreciate your concern. But you know, they were foolish to underestimate their opponent thoughtlessly. They might've trained for years, but I too have spent over a decade honing my skills under my teacher's guidance."
"That's true. Dame Natasha's teaching and training methods are undeniably remarkable," Valentine agreed. "Her reputation is practically legendary, and I'd say her techniques match or even surpass the professors here."
"Besides, when a perfect opportunity like that presents itself, how can I not help but take it?" Reese laughed, leaning back in her chair.
Valentine relaxed, finally letting out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. Her smile softened. "You really are something else. But honestly, it was such a delight seeing the Crimson Claws' faces shrink when they realized what was happening," she said, her eyes glimmering with amusement. "Especially my dear brother's reaction. He tried to keep that calm expression on his face, but I could clearly see the panic in his eyes. Watching someone as arrogant and egoistic as him squirm gave me a bit of satisfaction, I won't lie."
Reese's smirk widened, her voice dripping with playful arrogance. "To take down someone cocky, you need to be cockier, and I, my dear, am the perfect match for that."
Valentine leaned back in her chair, a soft smile playing on her lips. "Alright, Reese. Do whatever you want, just make sure to be careful. I'll have your back as much as I can."
Reese smiled with a reassuring glint in her eyes. "That's comforting to hear."
Valentine's expression brightened a little. "By the way, since you're one of my people, so as an official member of Azure Wings, you'll need to wear it's official brooch which will identify you as one of us. I'll have it sent to your dorm."
The academy was divided into several factions, each led by a prominent student. Among these, two stood out the most—'Crimson Claws,' led by Liam Rosedale, and 'Azure Wings,' headed by Valentine Rosedale. The two factions were in constant rivalry, fueled by the personal conflict between Liam and Valentine, the half-siblings from the Rosedale Duchy. Earlier in the year, Valentine had won the election for Student Council President, defeating her half-brother Liam and other candidates, shifting the power dynamics in favor of Azure Wings. But the Crimson Claws weren't the type to back down easily, constantly stirring up trouble to prove their superiority and to put the Azure Wings in distress.
"Got it," Reese replied as she stood up, stretching slightly. "I should head out now. You already look half-drained, and I don't want to distract you any further."
Valentine groaned, sinking deeper into her chair. "Pray for my soul."
Reese smirked, her tone playful. "Sure. I'll also light a candle for you."
As Reese moved toward the door, Valentine glanced up. "Do you have any classes today?"
"Nope," Reese said, shaking her head. "The Headmaster gave me the day off to explore the campus, but honestly, I think I'll just head to my dorm and take a long nap. I'm here for the long run, so I've got plenty of time in my hands to look around."
Valentine nodded sympathetically. "You must be exhausted. It's better if you rest. Do you know your dorm room number yet?"
Reese blinked, realizing she didn't. "Nope, no idea."
Valentine chuckled and got up from her seat. "Follow me." She walked toward a small door adjacent to the main council room, leading Reese into a smaller, dimly lit office filled with neatly stacked papers. This room was clearly used for council work, serving as a storage space for documents and supplies.
Valentine walked over to a drawer, pulled it open, and fished out a small key. "Here," she said, handing the key to Reese. "Your room number is 293."
Reese accepted the key with a grateful smile. "Thanks."
"The dorms are on the east side of the academy," Valentine explained. "If you have trouble finding it, just ask any student, and they'll point you in the right direction."
"Got it," Reese nodded. She started to walk toward the door but paused briefly. "Bye, Val."
"Take care, Reese," Valentine called after her, already turning back to the mountain of paperwork waiting on her desk.
..
By the time Julius finished treating his patients, nearly an entire lecture period and a half had passed. He stepped out of the infirmary, stretching his arms slightly as the sunlight hit his face. His gaze fell upon Cedric, who was lounging on a bench nearby, humming lazily, as if he hadn't a care in the world.
Julius walked over towards him. "What are you doing here?" he asked, giving his friend a light shove.
Cedric, opening one eye, replied, "What do you think I'm doing? Obviously, waiting for you."
Julius folded his arms, his expression skeptical. "And why, exactly, are you waiting for me?"
Cedric stretched and sat up, giving Julius a playful grin. "Well, someone has to keep you company after all that hard work, right?"
Julius shook his head, unimpressed. "Let's be real. You're just using this as an excuse to skip class, aren't you?"
Cedric clapped his hands together dramatically. "Bravo! A perfect guess! You got full marks, 10 out of 10. As expected of our brilliant 3rd-year valedictorian of the magic department!"
Julius sighed, clearly used to Cedric's antics. Without saying another word, he turned and began walking away. Of course, Cedric immediately hopped up to follow.
"To think," Cedric began, falling into step beside Julius, "that the esteemed young master Whitelock, who rarely agrees to heal anyone, especially those from the Crimson Claws, would do so of his own free will. Today is an extraordinary day, indeed."
Julius didn't bother looking at Cedric as he responded, his voice calm and measured. "You know full well I didn't volunteer out of goodwill for those Crimson Claws. But still... I'm actually quite relieved that it turned out differently than I anticipated."
Cedric chuckled, well aware of Julius's true motives. Julius had a reputation for being highly selective about who he helped in healing, and the Crimson Claws definitely weren't on his preferred list. But Cedric, ever the tease, couldn't resist poking fun at his friend. After all, getting a rise out of Julius was one of Cedric's favorite pastimes.
"So, where are we headed now?" Cedric asked, his tone casual but clearly fishing for an excuse to skip more classes.
"I'm going back to class," Julius replied. "If you want to skip class again, feel free to do it alone. Just do me a favor and leave me alone."
Cedric sighed dramatically, as if wounded by Julius's rejection. "You're no fun, you know that? What a boring guy..." He shook his head in mock disappointment. "Makes sense why you're still single even with that handsome face of yours."
Before Cedric could continue, something—or rather, someone—caught his attention. He stopped mid-sentence, his eyes narrowing as he noticed a figure descending from the moving stairs in the distance.
"Hey, isn't that Miss 'current hot topic of the campus'?" Cedric's tone shifted, his interest piqued as he nudged Julius.
___