CHAPTER 123: TRAINING?

The courtyard was quiet at this hour, the kind of quiet that made footsteps sound louder than they were. Jae walked across it, hands in his pockets, the dim light of floating mana-infused stones casting shifting shadows that stretched and twisted across the cobblestones.

The air was cool, carrying the faint, earthy scent of the gardens beyond the academy walls, and the quiet made him hyper-aware of every sound: the scrape of his boots on stone, the faint rustle of leaves, even the distant drip of water from the fountain near the entrance.

Most of the academy windows were dark, their opaque panes reflecting only faint glows from the stones scattered across the grounds.

Tirel was leaning against a column when he arrived, arms folded loosely across her chest, her red hair catching the glow from one of the floating stones.

Her expression was calm but mischievous, that small, knowing smile tugging at her lips that always made Jae’s chest tighten a fraction, whether he wanted it to or not.

"You’re late," she said, her voice low and teasing, carrying a weight of expectation that made him raise an eyebrow.

"I’m right on time," Jae replied, stopping in front of her. His red eyes flicked over her, noting the way she shifted slightly on her feet, the faint flare of her mana around her hands as if she were already anticipating movement. "Where are we training?"

She tilted her head, letting the hair fall slightly forward, catching the stone-light in fiery strands. "I know a place," she said simply, her voice like silk, smooth and confident, leaving the question hanging in the air as if her knowledge alone were enough.

Jae arched an eyebrow, folding his arms. "All non-residential areas are locked at night," he pointed out.

Her smile widened just enough to be dangerous, curling at the edges of her lips. "Don’t worry." She pushed off the column, the faint heat of her mana brushing the air between them, and gestured for him to follow.

They walked together through the empty corridors, their boots echoing softly against the stone, the muted thrum of residual mana from the stones creating a faint hum in the walls.

The air smelled faintly of stone dust and mana residue, a tang that made his skin tingle slightly. Every so often, Jae glanced at her, curious about her angle, trying to guess whether this was simply training, or something far more elaborate.

"So," he said casually, breaking the silence, "should I be concerned that you’re this confident about getting into a locked area?"

"Not at all," she replied, her voice lilting, almost melodic. "You should be impressed."

He gave her a sidelong look, smirking faintly. "I’ll decide if I’m impressed when I see what you’re up to." He rubbed a hand through his hair, fingers raking through the blonde strands while the other hand stayed tucked in his pocket.

There was a familiar confidence in him that had nothing to do with his power; it was arrogance tempered by experience, honed over countless battles and training sessions.

They stopped in front of a classroom door, its brass handle glinting faintly in the bluish light of the mana stones hovering outside the windows. Jae raised an eyebrow. "This is your grand training spot?"

Instead of answering, Tirel reached into her pocket and pulled out two slender hairpins, their tips glinting faintly.

She crouched near the lock, working with the ease of someone who had done this dozens of times, twisting and maneuvering until a faint click echoed softly in the corridor. Jae leaned against the wall, arms crossed, watching her every movement.

"So you’re not just a fire mage," he said dryly, a faint teasing note in his voice, "you’re also a breaking-and-entering specialist."

Tirel’s eyes lifted to his, catching the mana glow just right to make them shine almost mischievously. "Specialist sounds so professional," she said. "I prefer... problem solver."

The pins twisted one last time, and the lock surrendered with a satisfying click that echoed faintly against the stone walls.

Tirel straightened, slipping the pins back into her pocket as though it were nothing, and pushed the door open just far enough to peek inside. The classroom was bathed in a faint, flickering blue from distant light sources, shadows stretching over neat rows of desks like quiet, watchful guardians

"Well?" she asked, stepping back and gesturing toward the open door with a flourish that seemed to invite both curiosity and challenge.

Jae smirked, stepping forward with slow deliberation. "After you, problem solver," he said, his tone teasing yet layered with the weight of experience.

She shook her head, an almost imperceptible shake that carried authority. "No, no. Guests first," she corrected lightly, her eyes sparkling with mischief as she stepped aside.

Jae allowed himself a brief chuckle, stepping into the classroom and feeling the faint hum of ambient mana from the stones.

The air inside was cooler, tinged with residual energy from previous exercises, and the faint scent of fire lingered where Tirel’s magic had touched the air earlier.

He let his gaze sweep over the room, the neat desks, the shadows stretching like silent spectators, the suspended mana stones casting arcs of light that danced over the walls.

He rubbed his hair again, his hand lingering in the strands as he took in the quiet tension of the room. Everything about this felt like a prelude to something intense, something beyond ordinary training.

The faint tang of magic hung in the air, carrying both challenge and promise, and for the first time in a while, he felt the familiar spark of anticipation twist in his stomach.

Tirel moved to the center of the room, standing in the flickering glow. Her fire magic had left a subtle trace in the air, a warmth that contrasted against the cool mana stone light.

She looked at him, smirk tilting her lips, and let her hands rest at her sides, fingers flexing slightly as if already ready to act.

Jae’s smirk deepened. The air between them was electric, the combination of residual mana and anticipation making the small hairs on his arms rise.

He could feel his own mana stirring, responding to hers in subtle, almost imperceptible ways, and he flexed his fingers as he mentally prepared his dragonfire blade, feeling the dormant heat pulse faintly at the edges of his perception.

"So," he said finally, voice low, carrying both humor and intent, "this is where all your nocturnal training happens?"

Tirel’s grin widened, dangerous and playful. "Maybe," she said simply. "Depends on whether you can keep up."

He rubbed a hand through his hair again, smirk curling, letting a low chuckle escape. "We’ll see about that."

The classroom was still and quiet now, but charged with tension. The glow of light shined around on them catching their movements, highlighting every curve and line of Tirel’s figure, every subtle motion of her poised stance. Jae’s senses sharpened; he could almost see the potential energy coiled in the room like a taut wire.

And then, in that quiet, he realized fully... whatever she had in mind tonight, it was not going to be normal training. Not in the slightest.