Finally, the grueling training session with Ms. Sinclair came to an end, and I couldn't wait to escape the training grounds—and, more importantly, Camille. My muscles ached, my pride was bruised, and all I wanted was a moment of peace.
As I turned to leave, a voice stopped me in my tracks.
"Wait, Sera!" Camille called out, jogging up to me with her ever-present grin. Before I could protest, she tossed something in my direction.
I barely managed to catch it—a small, intricately carved key made entirely of ice.
I frowned, holding it up to inspect it. The craftsmanship was impressive, with delicate frost patterns etched along its surface, but I couldn't shake the feeling that this was some sort of prank. "What is this?" I asked, my voice laced with suspicion.
Camille placed a dramatic hand over her chest, her expression a perfect mix of sincerity and playful mischief. "It's the key to my heart."
My brain short-circuited for a moment, trying to process her words.
And then, without thinking, I reacted.
With a flick of my fingers, I summoned a small flame. The icy key melted almost instantly, the water dripping through my fingers as I stared at her, deadpan.
Camille's jaw dropped, her wide eyes filled with mock betrayal. "Sera! You just—burned my heart!"
"I'll burn your whole sense of humor next if you keep this up," I replied flatly, brushing the residual water off my hand.
She clutched her chest dramatically, as if wounded. "How cruel! And here I thought we were making progress."
"You're impossible," I muttered, turning on my heel to walk away before she could rope me into any more of her antics.
"Wait!" she called after me, laughter bubbling in her voice. "If I make another one, will you at least consider accepting it next time?"
"Not a chance," I shot back over my shoulder, quickening my pace.
Her laughter followed me all the way out of the training grounds, and despite myself, I couldn't help the small smile tugging at the corner of my lips. Camille was exhausting, infuriating, and utterly relentless—but, in her own strange way, she was also... kind of entertaining.
But let's get one thing straight. That didn't mean we were friends or anything! We were just classmates, nothing more, nothing less. And I was definitely not a tsundere. No way. Not a chance.
Pushing those traitorous thoughts aside, I took a deep breath to steel myself for what came next. The day wasn't over yet, and that meant there was still one hurdle left to tackle: Ms. Roselle's class.
And where Ms. Roselle was, Diana Hayes was sure to follow.
"Haaaa," I sighed, dragging my feet toward the next lecture hall. Just the thought of interacting with Diana was enough to sap what little energy I had left.
Diana, with her perfectly golden-blonde hair and piercing emerald eyes that seemed to see right through you. Diana, with her poised elegance and air of unshakable confidence. Diana, who somehow managed to make everything feel like a chess game where she was already ten moves ahead.
And yet, as much as I dreaded crossing paths with her, I couldn't help but admit there was something about her presence that demanded attention. Maybe it was the way she carried herself, as if the world itself bent to her will, or the way her sharp yet refined words always seemed to hit their mark. Whatever it was, Diana was a force to be reckoned with—and I wasn't looking forward to being on the receiving end of it.
As I entered the classroom, the familiar scent of parchment and ink filled the air. The room was bathed in warm, golden light streaming through the tall windows, illuminating rows of ornate desks and chairs. Ms. Roselle stood at the front, her commanding presence as striking as ever.
And there she was—Diana Hayes—seated gracefully at her desk near the window, her emerald eyes already locked onto me the moment I walked in.
Here we go.
Bracing myself for whatever verbal sparring or cryptic games Diana had in store, I slid into my seat with a resigned sigh. This was going to be a long class.
"So," Diana's smooth, velvety voice cut through the air like a blade. "How was training? Did you and Camille become good friends?"
Her tone was deceptively casual, but the glint in her emerald eyes told a different story—one that promised amusement at my expense.
And just like that, it began. I cursed internally.
"Training was... fine," I replied cautiously, keeping my tone neutral. "And no, we're not good friends. We're just classmates who were forced to spar together."
Diana's perfectly arched brow lifted, a hint of a smirk playing at her lips. "Oh? That's not what Camille seemed to think when I saw her earlier. She looked quite pleased with herself."
Of course, she did. Camille had probably already recounted every embarrassing moment from training, complete with embellishments for dramatic flair.
I crossed my arms, trying to maintain some semblance of composure. "Well, she has a...unique sense of humor. Let's leave it at that."
Diana chuckled softly, the sound elegant yet unsettling. "Unique indeed. It seems you've managed to catch her interest. That's no small feat, Sera."
"Not interested," I shot back without missing a beat. "I'd like nothing more than to stay out of her spotlight and avoid becoming the subject of her relentless teasing."
"And yet," Diana mused, resting her chin on her hand, "you always seem to attract attention, whether you want to or not. It's rather fascinating, really."
I frowned, feeling like I'd walked right into one of her traps. "What's that supposed to mean?"
She leaned closer, her emerald gaze sharp and unyielding. "It means you have a way of standing out, Sera. Whether it's with Camille, the other princesses, or even..." She paused, her smirk widening slightly. "Me."
My face heated up at her words, and I quickly turned my attention to the textbook in front of me, feigning interest in its contents. "You're imagining things," I muttered.
Diana's soft laughter followed, light and melodic, but with an undercurrent of amusement that made me feel like I was playing a game I hadn't signed up for.
Before I could think of a way to change the subject—or escape—Ms. Roselle stepped to the front of the room, her elegant presence demanding our attention.
"Today's class will be a little different," Vivienne began, her smooth, commanding voice cutting through the lingering murmurs. "We won't be delving into magic theory or spellwork. Instead, we'll focus on clubs. The academy believes that cultivating personal interests alongside magical studies creates a well-rounded individual. Participation in clubs will also count toward your academic score. So after class, be sure to visit the club fair and consider joining one that aligns with your interests."
Oh, right. Clubs. I'd completely forgotten about them. I did tell Lillian I would consider joining the Gardening Club...I guess I'll pay her a visit after this class.
"Already have a club in mind, Sera?" Diana's voice broke through my thoughts, her emerald eyes gleaming with curiosity—or perhaps mischief.
I shrugged, keeping my tone casual. "Who knows? No reason for me to tell you."
Diana leaned closer, her lips curving into a sly smile. "Oh, come now. Aren't we friends? You can confide in me. Or perhaps you're planning to join the same club as Camille? She did seem rather taken with you earlier."
My eye twitched at the mention of Camille. "Absolutely not," I replied quickly, my voice sharp enough to make Diana laugh softly again.
"Relax, Sera," she said, her smile never wavering. "I'm only teasing. But I'll admit, I'm curious to see which club catches your interest. Who knows? Maybe we'll end up in the same one."
I sighed, letting my head fall into my hands as Ms. Roselle continued outlining the guidelines for club participation. Why did it feel like no matter where I turned, someone was waiting to either tease me, challenge me, or drag me into their orbit?
Maybe Diana was right, Sera Vandren did naturally gather attention. She had the beauty, the powers, and almost the personality for it. If only she wasn't so arrogant, she would've been perfect. But at least, for now, the plot of the novel didn't seem to stray. Everything was still going the way it went, whether that was a good thing or not.
The heroine's character was still intact, there weren't any strange changes. But maybe, just maybe, it'd be okay to change the novel's ending to something a little different.
I glanced towards my side, where Diana had moved to the seat next to me. For a second, I thought maybe becoming 'friends' with the heroines wouldn't be so bad. That way, I wouldn't have a bad ending.
As the class drew to a close, I resolved to head straight for the Gardening Club after this, if only to regain a moment of solitude—assuming Diana or Camille didn't find a way to derail my plans first.