"I love you."
Luna doubted her own ears the first time she heard those words. But with every passing second, as the uncomfortable silence stretched on, it became clearer that she hadn't misheard anything.
And her heart started to race, as she found herself forced to think about something she had tried to ignore.
The girl had never expected him to look at her that way. After all, she was so plain and awkward.
The negative experiences from other encounters weighed heavy on her heart. She wasn't ugly; in fact, most people would describe her as pretty, so this wasn't the first time someone had asked her out.
However, every other time, people had distanced themselves from her. They probably grew tired of dealing with such a strange girl.
"I love you," he said again, and the girl's pale face turned as red as a tomato.
She knew Davi was different. They had known each other for over a year, and he never seemed to get tired of her. And now he was saying he loved her.
The truth was, entering a relationship seemed frightening. But she couldn't deny the smile that formed on her face, just thinking about having him by her side.
The only purpose of rationality is to find the best way to follow your heart. Mentally, the girl repeated the phrase her mother once told her. And her decision was made. After all, from the beginning, her heart had only desired one thing in this case.
All the problems and challenges that would come after this could be dealt with by reason. She would probably find a way to handle her own insecurities, especially with Davi by her side.
"I'm even more excited for us to meet in person," was the girl's response, too embarrassed to give a direct answer.
As expected, the boy easily understood her intention. Imagining how much she must be blushing, he laughed:
"You're so cute."
Shortly after that, they had to say goodbye, just as Davi needed to go take his bus.
What time is he going to get here? Luna quickly grabbed a pen and a piece of paper, starting to calculate.
Davi's bus would leave his hometown in an hour, and he'd probably arrive at the capital after nine hours. The boats to the artificial island of Urush departed every two hours. Then it would be a few more minutes waiting on the line, to get teletransported to Enki.
Considering everything, she concluded he would probably arrive between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. Unfortunately, at that time, Luna would have to attend a meeting for the magical engineering department. She sighed deeply, wondering if skipping it was even an option.
In the end, their first meeting would have to wait until later.
Luna rolled around on her bed in frustration. At the same time, the excitement of finally being able to see Davi for the first time made her heart race.
And the girl didn't sleep a wink all night.
𓊖𓊖𓊖
As he approached his destination, the boy was greeted by an awe-inspiring sight. In the sky above was an enormous rift, seemingly tearing through the fabric of reality. Surrounding it were countless smaller rifts, connected like veins to the larger one, pulsating ominously.
Beneath that monstrous phenomenon lay the artificial island of Urush. And floating above it, near the rift, was a grand structure: the city of Enki, the hub for explorers.
Arriving on the island, Davi was immediately overwhelmed by the chaos of cars, people, and endless commerce. The sea of lights was almost psychedelic, and no matter where he turned, someone was selling something.
Fortunately, finding the path to the magic transportation circle wasn't particularly difficult. The first person he asked gave him the necessary directions, and he followed them until he came across a long line.
The wait was a bit tedious, and the price was as high as expected. Nevertheless, he entered a small room where a guard stood by, and strange runes were drawn on the floor.
Stepping into the circle, he felt a sense of anticipation. The runes began to glow brightly, bathing the room in intense light. Then, with a flash, the magic activated.
And there he was, finally at his destination. Even though this floating island existed solely for the Explorers Academy, it was far from small. As Davi walked through the area, he quickly discovered a vast residential district, state-of-the-art training centers, and, towering above all else, the colossal Enki Academy itself.
This place was starkly different from the Midgard Explorers' Academy, where his father had studied. Despite Midgard being ranked third among all academies, its floating island was far smaller than Enki's, which, although ranked eighth, had sheer grandeur that made it unparalleled.
To gain entry into the academy, students were required to pay the exorbitant enrollment fee and pass several tests. Most of these assessments aimed to determine the applicant's rank, but there was also the essential survival test, designed to evaluate whether the candidate had the bare minimum skills to endure the dangers of exploration.
Becoming an explorer was a perilous career path, so ensuring that applicants were prepared to face life-and-death situations was critical.
Still, Davi felt confident he could pass the basic survival test. While he lacked exceptional talent, his determination had always been his greatest strength. Besides, the task would simply involve confronting and evading some low-tier monsters.
After a bit more walking, Davi finally arrived at the administrative building of Enki Academy. It was an imposing structure in a classic architectural style, standing out starkly against the more modern skyscrapers of the floating island.
Upon stepping into the reception hall, his eyes were immediately drawn to the grandeur of the place. The floors were made of gleaming white marble, reflecting the soft, golden light from massive crystal chandeliers hanging above.
To his left, a large wall displayed the enormous emblem of the Explorers: a majestic dragon at its center, symbolizing the courage and power of the strongest humans, those who could rival the legendary beast itself. Around the hall, glamorous paintings and ornate decorations filled the space, though Davi couldn't help but think it was all a bit excessive.
Still, he had to admit, it was impressive.
The place, after all, had some useful features, such as interactive screens where new students could check information and schedules for tests and initial activities.
At the back of the room, there was a counter with several receptionists ready to assist the new students with whatever they needed.
After checking the schedule on the panel, the boy exchanged a few messages with his friend. Unfortunately, she wouldn't have time to meet him before the test, so they agreed to catch up afterward.
Next, Davi went to the counter and managed to complete his registration. With tears in his eyes, he wiped out his bank account to pay the required amount. After that, he headed to the auditorium, where a lecture by the academy's principal would take place.
Upon entering, he found yet another extravagantly decorated room, highlighting the place's power and pride. It was an enormous hall with seating for over a thousand people to listen to the lecture, row upon row of chairs. At least the seats were quite comfortable, so he wouldn't complain about that.
Naturally, a crowded place like that buzzed with the noise of countless conversations. Even though the professors tried to gain the students' attention, it wasn't an easy task. However, suddenly, all the noise stopped as the students heard the firm click of a certain woman's high heels.
As those profoundly dark eyes scanned the room, everyone felt the weight of her presence. Even breathing seemed to grow harder in the presence of that woman, whose beauty and appearance defied logic. Despite being close to 50, she looked like she was in her twenties.
As the elegant woman strode to the center of the stage, she drew all eyes. Her tailored suit fit her curves perfectly, and with each firm step she took, her hips swayed with a unique sensuality.
The principal then brought her lips close to the microphone and began to speak with a powerful, captivating voice that immediately captured everyone's attention:
"On behalf of the administration and the entire faculty, I'd like to welcome all the students here."
She started her speech by reminding everyone of the importance of explorers and how they were the protectors of humanity. As always, she recounted the story of the day the world changed, when enormous rifts opened in the sky.
On that day, humanity gained access to systems and powers. However, the price paid for such power was equally great. From those same rifts came creatures from hell seeking to destroy humanity. To eliminate these beings and keep the rifts under control, explorers were tasked with entering the areas and killing the monsters within.
Additionally, explorers had other noble responsibilities. The rifts were filled with mysteries waiting to be discovered, and unraveling them was crucial for expanding humanity's knowledge. On that note, she highlighted the role of magical engineers, one of the specializations offered at the academy.
Finally, she stated that it was indeed possible to get rich by collecting monster parts from the rifts. But reminded everyone that fools who pursued the explorer's life out of greed and lust for gold would inevitably meet their demise.
The principal paused dramatically at the end of her speech, plunging the auditorium into deep silence. Her firm and confident gaze swept across the students, serving as a silent reminder that only the strongest and most determined would survive at this institution.
"Do not forget that you are humanity's shield. Hold your heads high with pride and prove your worth," she said, raising her voice for the first time.
The silence was broken by a single, timid clap, quickly followed by the rest of the audience. The principal gave a faint smirk, turning to leave the stage. But then, as if something had called her, she abruptly stopped.
Her dark eyes locked onto Davi, analyzing him intently. Ignoring the professors who approached to speak with her, she disappeared and reappeared directly in front of the student who had caught her attention. Her dark eyes now shimmered faintly with a purple light as she sought to satisfy her curiosity.
Confused and unsure of what was happening, the boy's breath hitched, as the powerful scent of her perfume overwhelmed his senses. She stood mere centimeters from him, her lips just a breath away from his.
Leaning in closer, her chest pressed against his as she whispered into his ear, "You're coming with me to my office. I need to talk to you."
Not caring in the slightest about his opinion, she snapped her fingers, transporting him to her office.
For a few moments, silence reigned as everyone tried to process the scene they had just witnessed. Then the auditorium erupted into murmurs as rumors spread like wildfire.
Who was that boy? What did the principal want with him? Whispers of favoritism, trouble, and even conspiracies began to form as the story took on a life of its own.