The morning light streamed faintly through the curtains as Luca tugged the last buckle of his boots tight. His uniform lay folded neatly on the chair—today's attire was different. A dark traveling coat, sturdy trousers, and light leather armor beneath—practical, meant for movement.

Hovering over his hand, the sleek silver ring shimmered faintly, a soft glow spilling from its engraved surface. With a quiet thought, the ring pulsed, absorbing a brief inventory of what he had prepared for: a spare set of clothes, a few bottles of potions, dry rations, and some coins. Everything necessary for at least several days away from the academy.

"Well, at least this much is covered," Luca murmured, flexing his fingers as the light dimmed. "Good thing I made a few more of these storage artifacts with the Tower Master before leaving the Magic Tower."

He rose from the bed, rolling his shoulders once to ease the weight of his gear before stepping out of the room. The air in the corridor was quiet, save for the distant clamor of students preparing for classes.

By the time he pushed through the doors of Block A, the crisp morning breeze caught his dark violet hair, tousling it across his brow. He paused for a moment, inhaling deeply, before exhaling a sigh that curled faintly in the cool air.

"…How will she react?" His lips twisted wryly. "Probably… angrily, right?"

Shaking his head, he descended the stone steps. There was no other way—no letter, no excuse, no casual meeting in the academy's halls would cut it. Not with her.

Her anger wasn't surprising; he had seen enough of her strained ties with her father and grandfather to know how deeply wounds could fester when pride and expectation mixed. Compared to them… what was he to her? Nothing. And yet—

His hand curled into a fist at his side. Still… by the end of this mission, I'll make things right with her.

The gates of Arcadia Academy stood tall before him, gilded tips catching the early sun. He reached them with steady steps and waited, arms folded loosely, the quiet resolve in his chest battling the unease gnawing at him.

It didn't take long.

Aurelia appeared, her crimson braid swaying with each stride. Even from a distance, Luca caught the shadow clouding her features, a sharpness in her gaze that made it clear she wasn't in the best of moods.

A teasing smile tugged at his lips despite himself. When she finally neared, he tilted his head slightly, voice deliberately light.

"Hello."

Her amethyst eyes snapped up, instantly hardening. Whatever unpleasant thought she had been carrying twisted tighter at the sight of him.

Her voice lashed out, low and brimming with restrained fury.

"What are you doing here?"

Luca studied her expression—the sharp narrowing of her eyes, the rigid line of her shoulders, the way her fingers twitched like they longed to grab her sword. Looks like she's quite angry, he thought, suppressing the sigh that wanted to escape.

"Well," he said at last, voice even and calm, "Kyle's suddenly not feeling well… so, he asked me to go in his stead."

For a heartbeat, Aurelia froze, then her lips curved downward in a bitter twist. Her eyes flared, and her hands balled into trembling fists at her sides.

"You—no. That vile bastard. How dare he trick me into this?!" Her voice cracked sharp in the cool morning air, her braid swaying with the force of her movement as she half-turned away from him. "No. I won't do this mission."

Luca kept his face smooth, unreadable, though inside he thought with grim humor, Of course it's a lie. I asked Kyle to trick her into going on a mission with him,only for me to replace him, a few days ago—right after she stormed out of my dorm room. He's guilty of nothing but being my scapegoat.

Her fiery refusal wasn't unexpected—he'd known it was coming, had braced for it. He drew in a slow breath, shoulders squaring, and stepped half a pace closer so his words would reach her firmly.

"No, no—we can't do that." His tone lost its teasing lilt, replaced with conviction. His hands lifted slightly, palms outward, like he was trying to calm the blaze sparking between them. "This mission is extremely important. Just think of how many more innocent people will suffer if it isn't completed in time."

Her chest rose and fell sharply, her nails biting into her palms as her arms shook from how tightly she clenched them. The fury in her gaze didn't vanish—it surged brighter. But beneath the blaze, Luca caught it: a tiny flicker of conflict in her eyes, hesitation cracking through her anger.

Luca thought with a slight smile on his face, I knew it, she is wild and quite a free spirit , but she is a very kind person as well.

"Fine!" she spat, whipping her head to the side as if even looking at him scorched her pride. "Ahhh—I won't forgive that good-for-nothing!"

Her braid snapped against her back as she spun away, summoning her beast with a flare of crimson mana. Fire bloomed against the morning light, coalescing into the majestic Qilin. Its scaled body shimmered with heat, nostrils flaring as it pawed at the ground impatiently.

Luca pressed his lips together, hiding the faintest curve of a smile. You'll be remembered, brother. May the heavens shield you from her wrath.

Aurelia strode forward, her boots striking the dirt hard as if to vent her irritation with each step. She mounted the Qilin with a single, fluid motion—one hand gripping the mane, the other settling her balance with practiced ease. Her back was straight, proud, unyielding.

Luca walked up after her, his steps slower, deliberate. He lifted a hand toward the saddle—only to feel her gaze snap onto him like a blade drawn.

Her voice cut sharp. "What are you doing? Don't you have your own beast?"

Her glare could have burned holes into him.

Luca paused, scratching the back of his head, his grin faintly sheepish. "Ahh… well, little Kunpeng is still in slumber, so…"

She arched a brow, eyes narrowing further, her lips curving into a razor-thin line. The Qilin tossed its head, snorting fire as if sharing her disapproval.

Luca tilted his head back slightly, eyes lifting toward the sky, and smirked to himself. Shameless mode: activated.

Without hesitation, he swung up onto the beast, settling behind her with the ease of someone who had no intention of asking permission.

"And it's not like we haven't ridden a beast together before," he said lightly, his breath brushing against the back of her braid. His tone was casual, teasing—deliberately so.

Her jaw tightened, teeth gnashing audibly. Her hands clenched the Qilin's mane, knuckles white, but she didn't move to shove him off.

The Qilin's wings spread wide, heat rippling from its body as it gave a powerful beat. Fire trailed faintly in its wake as it launched into the skies.

Wind roared past them, tugging at Aurelia's braid until it whipped furiously against Luca's cheek. She sat perfectly straight, her posture rigid, as if the cold pride of her stance alone could keep him at bay.

Behind her, Luca leaned just slightly, steadying himself, his eyes narrowing as the horizon opened before them in endless blue. His chest lifted with quiet determination.

The Qilin's legs dashed steadily as it flew in the skies, each motion sending a rush of hot wind past Luca's ears. The horizon stretched endlessly, painted in pale morning hues, but the silence between them weighed heavier than the skies above.

Luca shifted slightly, leaning forward just enough to be heard over the rush of air. His voice was quiet, tentative, almost uncharacteristically soft.

"Ah, hey Aurelia— I'm s—"

Her head snapped just slightly, the braid whipping hard against his cheek as her voice cut sharp.

"I don't want to hear any of that." Her tone was flat, clipped, her back ramrod straight as she stared ahead. "We are here on a mission. Don't talk to me."

Luca froze mid-word, his lips pressing into a thin line. He let out a small breath through his nose, leaning back again as he muttered inwardly, …First attempt: failure.

For a while, he tried again in small, harmless ways.

"The wind's calmer than yesterday, don't you think?" No reply.

"The academy's been buzzing with gossip lately…" Still nothing.

"I heard they're finally fixing the training field walls. Took them long enough." Silence, colder than the high air rushing past.

She didn't even twitch in response, her posture stiff and deliberate, as if her very body were rejecting the sound of his voice.

Luca's shoulders sagged slightly. He tilted his head back, watching the faint clouds above with a wry smile that carried no humor. So she won't even spare a word for that. Figures…

He ran a hand through his hair, fingers brushing against the strands tossed by the wind, then let his hand fall with a faint slap against his thigh. Well… she can't stay silent about the mission. She'll have to speak then.

Clearing his throat, he leaned forward once more, careful not to touch her. His voice was steadier this time, a thread of determination hidden beneath the casual tone.

"So," he asked, "what's the mission this time? What are the details?"