[Aurelia - 1st person POV, 3 days before ]

The moonlight spilled across my room in silver threads, casting a pale glow on the mirror before me. I stood there, arms folded, staring at my own reflection.

"Hmph. He didn't join my club," I muttered, tilting my chin up as if defiance could hide the faint sting in my chest. "It's not like I was hoping for him to join or anything."

My red hair tumbled over my shoulders in a silken cascade as I brushed through it, each stroke crisp in the quiet night. The brush paused mid-motion, and I caught my own eyes narrowing in the glass.

"But… he's grown so much more powerful now. That too in such a short time."

A slow breath left me.

"He's only a first-year, yet he's already broken every record they've ever had. And even among the second-years… he's only a rank behind me."

I set the brush down and pushed myself up from the vanity chair, the wood legs scraping softly against the floor. My bare feet carried me to the window, where I leaned against the cool frame. The night air slipped in, smelling faintly of pine, and I gazed at the moon hanging like a silver coin in the sky.

"And who knows…" I murmured, eyes narrowing at the distant horizon. "He might become more powerful than me in the coming months."

I shook my head sharply, my hair swaying with the movement.

"No. I can't allow that." My hands curled into fists against the windowsill. "I have to train harder. I won't let him surpass me. Otherwise…"

Heat flared up my neck before I could finish that thought, flooding my cheeks. I slapped them with both palms in a flurry. "What are you even thinking, Aurelia? You… bad girl."

A laugh—half embarrassed, half nervous—slipped out, and I retreated to my bed. The sheets whispered under me as I lay back, staring at the ceiling.

Still… I'd like to see him tomorrow.

If I go to the training grounds early, he should be there…

Sleep took me before I could think further, and morning came far too quickly.

I woke to the soft blush of dawn, showered, dressed, and made my way across the academy grounds, my boots crunching over the gravel path toward the training field.

But when I arrived—

"…He's not here?"

The field was empty save for a few stray leaves skittering across the sand. My brows knitted together.

As far as I know, he's never missed a single morning.

My heartbeat quickened.

Could he be unwell? No… it wouldn't be something serious, would it?

"I should go see him," I murmured aloud before freezing. "But… where does he even live?"

I bit my lip, pacing a small circle as thoughts churned faster and faster.

Alright, calm down. I'll go ask Kyle. He'll know where Luca lives.

And with that, I set off, the morning sun catching in my hair as if even it was in a hurry.

I didn't bother knocking. The door to Kyle's dorm flew open with a loud BANG as I kicked it in.

"WAH—!" Kyle jolted upright from his bed, hair sticking in every direction, blinking blearily at me.

I didn't waste time. I strode in, grabbed his collar, and yanked him half out of bed.

"Where is Luca's dorm?"

He squinted at me, still half-asleep. "…Luca, who?"

My palm smacked the back of his head before I even thought about it.

"Ow—! Ohhh, you mean bro-in-law?"

I froze for a second. My grip loosened, and I could feel heat climbing up my neck. "…Yes."

A slow, wicked grin spread across his face. "Hah… I never thought I'd see this expression on your face."

The look I gave him could've killed a man.

Kyle coughed into his fist, suddenly finding the ceiling very interesting. "Ahem—A block, fourth floor."

"Good."

I shoved him back onto the bed and stormed out before he could say anything else. My boots pounded against the floor as I cut across the courtyard, heading for A Block.

When I reached the fourth floor, I stopped outside a door marked with his name.

Locked?

I rattled the handle again, harder this time. Still locked.

Then where is he?

I was already halfway down the stairs before I realized I was running.

The hall director's office smelled faintly of ink and old paper. He sat behind his desk, adjusting his glasses without looking up.

"Sir, where is Luca Valentine? His dorm is locked."

He finally glanced at me, expression flat. "That is confidential information. We do not disclose a student's whereabouts to anyone except their family." He returned his gaze to his papers as if I wasn't there.

I gritted my teeth. Heat simmered in my chest. "I am his fiancée. Is that enough?"

My cheeks were burning, but I didn't look away.

That made him pause. He sighed, flipping through a thick register. "It's noted here as an 'emergency.' Nothing else."

"Just… 'emergency'? Nothing more?"

"Yes." He returned to his work without another word.

I walked out stiffly, my nails digging into my palms.

Emergency? What kind of emergency? Did something happen to him? His parents? Or—

The thoughts kept circling, sharp and restless, all the way back to my dorm.

Three days passed. Every morning, I went to the training grounds. Every time, the same emptiness greeted me. His dorm stayed locked.

Today, I'd had enough. If I didn't find him, I'd go to Valentine territory myself. I couldn't sit still any longer.

I was already on my way toward his dorm when I saw him.

He looked… tired. Not physically, but in that deep way—like someone carrying a weight no one else could see. His eyes were distant, his shoulders heavier than I remembered.

Before I could think, I called out—my voice sharper than I meant, almost desperation bleeding through.

"Where were you these past few days? I haven't seen you!"

***

[Back to Present]

Luca froze mid-step when he saw her. Aurelia stood a few paces away, her brows knit together, lips pressed tight as though she was scolding him in her mind—but her eyes… her eyes looked dangerously close to welling up.

"Aurelia?" he said, almost unsure if she was truly there.

It was as if some unseen gates burst open. She closed the distance in a heartbeat and threw her arms around him, gripping him so tightly he could feel the quick, uneven rhythm of her breathing against his chest.

"Where were you, you bastard?" she demanded, her voice sharp and shaking all at once. "Do you have any idea how worried I was? I went to your dorm every single day! If you wanted to disappear, couldn't you at least have told me?"

Luca blinked, caught between surprise and confusion. Wait… was anyone really this worried about me? The thought felt oddly foreign—almost unreal.

He placed a steadying hand on her back, murmuring something soft to calm her trembling. But when she pulled away just enough to look up at him again, her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

"Where were you?" she asked again, quieter this time, as if she was afraid of the answer.

Luca opened his mouth, but the words caught in his throat. He hesitated, then shook his head. "Not here," he said at last. "Can we talk in my dorm?"

She stared for a moment, then gave a small, reluctant nod.

Neither spoke as they made their way toward his dorm. The sound of their footsteps echoed faintly in the hall until Luca stopped at his door, unlocked it, and pushed it open. Aurelia followed him inside, the faint click of the door closing behind them cutting them off from the rest of the world.

Aurelia sat on the side of the bed, her hands resting in her lap, knuckles faintly white as if still holding on to the remnants of her earlier emotions. Luca stood for a moment, taking in the sight of her.

I thought the atmosphere would be awkward, he mused. But… it's not.

His gaze lingered on her. She really must have been too worried about me… And that's why— he swallowed, feeling an unfamiliar tightness in his chest, —I can't lie to her like I did with everyone else. I don't want to. I don't even remember the last time someone worried this much about me. So… at least to her, I can't lie.

He drew in a breath, stepping closer.

"I… was kidnapped by Her Majesty."

The words left his mouth, and the temperature in the room seemed to plummet. A chill seeped into his bones, the silence between them suddenly heavy—oppressive. Even the faint creak of the wooden bed frame as Aurelia shifted felt too loud.

Luca's breath misted slightly in the air. Why… is it so cold all of a sudden?