When they stepped outside, the energy felt different.
Relief mixed with leftover adrenaline as conversations sprang up all around them, and most of those conversations were still about Kael’s unfortunate accident.
Honestly, Elora felt a little bad for him.
At the same time, she was relieved.
For the first time since the evaluation, she wasn’t the center of every discussion anymore.
Someone else had finally claimed the title of Most Talked About Student.
She felt a little guilty about that, but not enough to complain.
Before she could dwell on it any further, Lyra bumped her shoulder.
“So?
Did you feel the mana?” Elora tightened her grip on her notebook.
“Yeah.
I think so.
Nothing flashy, thankfully.” “Good.” Lyra grinned.
“Showy gets detention.” “Yeah, I remember.” Elora rolled her eyes.
“And I’m sure Professor Sorn has a very inspiring speech prepared about respecting the boundaries of magic.” “Speaking of dying,” Lyra groaned, pressing a hand against her stomach.
“Lunch?” “Yes.
Food.
Before you collapse dramatically in the hallway.” The two of them followed the crowd toward the dining hall.
By the time they arrived, the place was packed.
Students filled almost every table, while floating trays and overworked Soul Servants somehow managed to keep the entire hall fed without causing a disaster.
Elora glanced around the room, looking for somewhere quiet.
Her attention briefly landed on a table where several students wore uniforms trimmed in crimson, green, and silver.
“Let’s sit over there.” Lyra followed her gaze.
“Okay, but why?” “Look, their uniforms are different from ours.
They’re probably not first-years.
Maybe they have better things to do than gossip about us.” Elora wasn’t completely convinced that would work either, which explained the look Lyra gave her.
“You don’t actually believe that.” “No,” Elora admitted.
“But I’d like to believe that.” They made their way toward a quieter corner near the edge of the hall and claimed an empty table.
Unfortunately, Elora’s plan failed immediately.
“That’s the girl.” “The Nexus Orb girl.” “I heard the professors are still investigating it.” Elora sighed and dropped into her chair.
“So much for that.
I guess they’re still not over it.” “I tried to warn you.” At least the whispers weren’t as bad as they had been that morning.
A few moments later, floating trays arrived carrying their lunch.
Moving among them were small creatures that scurried throughout the dining hall collecting dishes, delivering meals, and cleaning up after students.
Elora blinked when she got a better look at one.
They looked suspiciously similar to goblins—short, large-eared, and constantly in motion—except their bodies were semi-transparent and glowed with a faint blue light.
“What are those?” she asked.
“Soul Servants,” Lyra replied.
“The Academy uses them for everything.” As if to prove her point, one of the creatures caught a falling spoon before it hit the floor, handed it back to a startled student, and immediately hurried off to deliver another tray.
“Everything?” “Cleaning.
Deliveries.
Maintenance.
Messages.
Probably a dozen other things.” A Soul Servant drifted by and nudged a chair back into place after someone left it sticking out.
For a few blessed minutes, she was able to focus entirely on her lunch.
The food was surprisingly good.
Honestly, that felt suspicious.
Schools weren’t supposed to have food this decent.
Then the atmosphere in the dining hall shifted.
Conversations didn’t stop, but they changed direction.
More and more students started looking toward the entrance, and whispers began spreading from table to table.
Elora looked up from her food.
“Oh no.
Who is it this time?” Lyra followed the movement near the doorway and immediately straightened in her seat.
Curious, Elora turned toward the entrance and spotted a familiar figure entering the dining hall.
He looked around their age, with silver hair and a calm expression that somehow made the crowded room seem less chaotic.
His black academy uniform was trimmed in gold, with matching embroidery on the sleeves.
More importantly, Elora recognized him immediately.
He had been standing near the Headmaster during the evaluation when everything went wrong, and judging by the whispers spreading through the hall, everyone else recognized him too.
“Lucien Arkhavel.” “That’s him.” “I heard he finished last year’s practical exam in record time.” “My brother said—” “That’s Lucien Arkhavel,” Lyra confirmed before Elora could ask.
Elora glanced back at her, unable to hide her confusion.
“You seriously didn’t know?” Lyra stared at her.
“Elora.
His father is the Headmaster.” “Oh.” Elora looked back toward Lucien.
“Lucky him.” No wonder he had been standing there with the professors during the evaluation.
“His family has produced high-ranking mages for generations,” Lyra continued.
“He’s one of the strongest students in the Academy.” Elora took another bite of food.
“Well, that explains the staring.” Lucien continued walking through the dining hall as though none of the attention bothered him.
Students watched openly as he passed.
Some whispered.
Others immediately looked away whenever he glanced in their direction.
The strange thing was how normal he seemed.
People were acting like some legendary figure had entered the room, but from where she was sitting, he just looked like someone heading to lunch.
He was well-dressed, confident, and annoyingly attractive, sure, but otherwise seemed perfectly ordinary.
As Lucien’s gaze moved across the hall, his eyes briefly met hers.
Elora immediately choked on her drink, and Lyra nearly fell out of her chair laughing.
“Careful,” she said.
“You already caused one scene this week.” Elora coughed into her sleeve and reached for a napkin.
“Fantastic.” Across the room, Lucien had already moved on and joined a table where several students wore uniforms trimmed in crimson, green, and silver.
Conversations picked up again around him, though nobody seemed brave enough to approach him directly.
Elora watched for another second before forcing herself to look away.
He was there at the orb accident.
Of course the Orb incident had caught his attention.
Who wouldn’t notice one of the Academy’s prized artifacts starting to crack during an entrance evaluation?
Whatever the deal was with Lucien Arkhavel, Elora had no intention of getting involved.
If possible, she’d rather stay far away from him and whatever drama seemed to follow him around.
Considering her luck lately, that was probably wishful thinking.