CHAPTER 63: CHAPTER 63: SWEETS AND STUDY SESSIONS

The clock tower struck four as Noah leaned against the corner of a stone building near the city’s main plaza, arms crossed, red eyes scanning the cobbled street.

White hair. Blue eyes. Late again.

"There you are," he said flatly as Cordelia came into view, practically bouncing on her heels.

"Relax, I’m only ten minutes late. That’s practically early by noble standards."

"You’re not a noble. You’re just annoying."

"And you’re still boring," she shot back, stopping in front of him with a grin. "So... ready to hit the books?"

"I was born ready," Noah muttered. "You’re the one who—"

"Oh look," she interrupted, pointing at a colorful storefront down the street. "That bakery’s got new chocolate-glazed honey tarts. We should stop. Just for a look."

Noah followed her finger with his eyes. "You don’t ’look’ at tarts, Cordelia. You inhale them."

She ignored the jab and was already halfway toward the shop before he could finish his sentence. He sighed and followed, shaking his head.

"Wasn’t this supposed to be a study session?"

Cordelia looked over her shoulder and smirked. "What, you thought I could focus on empty stomach? Rookie mistake."

The inside of the bakery smelled like roasted almonds, butter, and warm cinnamon. Shelves lined with ornate glass cases displayed a riot of pastries: fruit tarts with glossy glazes, powdered sugar éclairs, cream-stuffed rolls, and tiny cakes topped with golden sugar flakes. A central tray boasted the latest specialty: chocolate-glazed honey tarts, round and glossy, filled with golden custard that shimmered slightly under the light.

Cordelia pressed both hands against the display glass like a child at a toy store.

"I’ll take two of the honey tarts, three strawberry cream buns, a cinnamon swirl, and—ooh—is that a lemon-cloud croissant? Add that too."

The clerk blinked, then nodded with a practiced smile.

Noah stood behind her, arms crossed. "You’re feeding a family of four or just you?"

Cordelia didn’t even glance at him. "I diet specifically so I can do this."

"I’m impressed," Noah said, voice dry. "Most people reward themselves with a cookie. You’re going for a full pastry siege."

Once they had their tray—stacked dangerously high—Cordelia claimed a small table near the window, slid into her seat, and immediately bit into a honey tart. The custard oozed out slightly, catching the light as she devoured it like she hadn’t eaten in days.

Noah sat across from her with just a plain black coffee.

She pointed at him with a half-eaten swirl in hand. "You’re missing out. This stuff is divine."

"I’m not the one on a sugar quest."

Cordelia licked a bit of cream off her thumb. "Exactly. That’s why I’m happy and you’re always scowling."

"I don’t scowl. This is my default face."

She stared at him for a second, then broke into a smirk. "Default face of a guy who looks like he’s planning a coup."

He took a sip of his coffee. "Only if it ends with you banned from bakeries."

She responded by biting dramatically into her croissant.

—--------

The afternoon sun filtered softly through the tall arched windows of the city’s central library. Rows upon rows of dark oak shelves stood like silent sentinels, packed with ancient tomes, dusty manuals, and glowing scrolls. Enchanted lanterns floated above, casting a steady, gentle light over the reading tables.

Noah and Cordelia stepped inside, their footsteps muffled by thick red carpets. Cordelia still held the last of her pastry in a napkin, taking small, satisfied bites.

"I can’t believe they let you bring that in," Noah muttered, glancing sideways at the crumbs.

"I asked nicely," she said, chewing. "And maybe promised I wouldn’t smear icing on any scrolls."

They found a table tucked near the back, under a hanging crystal lamp. Noah set down a few thick books and his notes. Cordelia pulled out her own stack of papers, along with a sleek enchanted pen and a self-adjusting margin ruler.

For a moment, they worked in silence. The kind of silence that didn’t feel awkward.

After a few minutes, Cordelia spoke quietly.

"Thanks, by the way. For helping me prep for this. I know you don’t have to."

Noah didn’t look up. "It’s fine. You helped me once."

Cordelia blinked. "Did I?"

"By not panicking during the whole necromancer situation. That was... helpful."

She snorted softly. "That’s a low bar."

"But still a bar," he said, finally glancing at her. "Let’s just get through these exams. After that, you can go back to stuffing your face without guilt."

She grinned. "Deal."

The soft rustle of pages was the only sound between them for the next hour. Cordelia had stopped eating, now fully focused on her notes. She leaned over a textbook, lips slightly parted in concentration, her enchanted pen underlining a particularly dense paragraph on mana flow mechanics.

Noah flipped through his own material with practiced ease, occasionally jotting down annotations in the margins.

"You’re really fast at this," Cordelia muttered, not looking up.

"I’ve read most of it before."

"Of course you have."

He ignored the tone and handed her a separate booklet. "Use this one for the Elemental Compatibility questions. It breaks down interactions better than the academy texts."

She took it without hesitation, eyes scanning the contents.

A few minutes passed in silence.

"Hey," she said suddenly, "when’s the last time you actually studied with someone?"

He didn’t answer right away.

"I don’t usually have time for it."

Cordelia didn’t push further. She just nodded and kept reading.

Eventually, she broke the silence again, softly this time.

"I think we make a good team."

Noah gave a faint shrug. "You’re not completely useless."

She snorted, shaking her head. "Thanks, I guess."

They both smiled—small, quiet smiles. Nothing more needed to be said.

The sun began to set beyond the windows, painting the shelves in golden hues.

Outside, the city moved on. Inside, two students—one cursed, one brilliant—studied like any others, their pages slowly filling with ink, and their burdens just a little lighter than before.