The morning sun cast bright, warm rays through the glass window, hitting Chrites directly in the face.
He slowly opened his tired eyes, letting out a long, heavy breath.
After the incredibly exhausting events of the previous days—infiltrating the Cebel vault, clashing against the god-tier might of Trcids, and surviving the highly awkward family dinner at Linease’s estate—his mattress felt like an absolute paradise.
He pushed himself out of bed, stretching his sore arms with a groggy, relieved emotion.
Skipping the long details of his usual routine, Chrites quickly washed his face, brushed his teeth, and pulled on his crisp, standard academy uniform coat.
He hurried downstairs, grabbing a fast piece of bread from the kitchen counter.
Just as he reached for the heavy front door handle, heavy footsteps echoed from the wooden staircase behind him.
“Hold on a second, Chrites,” his older brother called out, speaking with a serious, focused emotion.
Chrites paused, turning around to face his imposing older brother.
“Good morning.
What is going on?”
“I have some urgent business to take care of later today, and I need an extra pair of hands,” his brother explained, adjusting his own formal coat with a calm, business-like demeanor.
“After your academy classes end today, can you come with me to the commercial district to help me move some heavy equipment?”
“Okay, okay, no problem at all,” Chrites replied, offering a polite, supportive emotion.
“I will meet you right after the final bell.”
With his afternoon plans locked in, Chrites opened the door and stepped out into the cool, fresh morning air.
He walked briskly down the paved sidewalk toward the central transit corner where he usually met Rivb.
However, as he approached the familiar meeting spot, Chrites stopped dead in his tracks, his glowing blue eyes widening with pure surprise.
Usually, only Rivb was standing there waiting for him while the others hurried ahead to secure good seats.
But today, all five of his friends were gathered on the corner.
Rivb, Chrono, Shevy, Linease, and Melise were all standing together in a tight circle, whispering quietly.
“What the hell has happened today?” Chrites asked loudly, walking up to the group with a highly confused, curious emotion.
“Why are all of you waiting for me out here?”
Rivb instantly spun around, a massive, incredibly annoying grin spreading across his face.
“Oh, man, you finally arrived!” Rivb shouted, speaking with an overly excited, highly dramatic emotion.
“Today is a massive day, Chrites.
I really think you do not know what is happening today.”
Chrites blinked, looking back and forth between Chrono’s amused face and Shevy’s exasperated expression.
“What?
What is today?
Is there a surprise academic exam or something?”
“No, no, no, absolutely no exams,” Rivb laughed boisterously, waving his hands with pure entertainment.
“One of the girls in our Class Division Four approached us this morning.
She explicitly asked us to call you out to meet her during the first lunch break.
She wants to eat lunch with you alone.
Just you.
Nobody else is allowed to come.”
Chrites stood completely still, tilting his head.
“Oh, so what does she want?
What is the matter with her today?”
Rivb slapped his own forehead, groaning loudly. This story is hosted at g.com.
“You really do not understand, bro!
You are being really, really silly right now.
She is inviting you out for a private confession.
She is literally asking you out to propose to you!
It is a romantic confession, man!”
“What?” Chrites reacted, his voice dropping in absolute, genuine disbelief.
“I do not believe that.
Really, I do not believe you at all.
Why would some girl call me out for a romance confession?
I am not that cool.
I am not that smart.
I am definitely not that powerful in class.
And even my civilian looks are just completely average.
Why would a girl be calling me out?”
Internally, Chrites was not feeling any romantic butterflies whatsoever.
His simple, practical mind was entirely focused on his hidden syndicate work.
In fact, as Rivb spoke, Chrites was deep in thought about the catastrophic fight that happened the previous day.
He was mentally analyzing the terrifying elemental magic Trcids had displayed, wondering when the supreme leader of DNT would make his next move.
Romance was the absolute last thing on his mind.
Seeing Chrites completely dismiss the idea, Chrono stepped forward, adjusting his collar with a highly serious, tense emotion.
“Chrites, you need to take this seriously,” Chrono warned softly.
“This specific invitation is going to surprise everyone.
That girl is not just some simple, ordinary student.
Her name is Vaelora.
And she is the direct daughter of one of the absolute richest, most influential people in the entire Grovics continent.”
Shevy nodded her head, speaking with a deeply worried, anxious emotion.
“It is even worse than just money, Chrites.
Her father is one of the most powerful military figures alive.
He is one of the few recognized Legendary Masters who officially belongs to our continent’s defense council.
Vaelora is the direct daughter of a Legendary Master.”
The moment those words hung in the air, the entire atmosphere on the street corner became incredibly awkward and tense.
Chrites felt a cold drop of sweat slide down the back of his neck.
A Legendary Master’s daughter?
His tactical brain instantly went into overdrive.
Did her father’s advanced magical sensors detect his invisible Light and Dark armor during the physical tournament?
Did Vaelora somehow witness his hidden spatial teleportation?
Was his perfectly crafted civilian disguise completely blown, exposing The Obsidian Syndicate to the government?
Or was this genuinely just a random teenage crush?
“Okay, okay,” Chrites said, his voice turning incredibly serious and calculated.
“That is a really big mess.
Let us solve this quietly and find out what the actual truth is.”
“Yeah, this meeting is going to be really interesting.”
Beside her, Melise pulled her school coat tighter, speaking with a gentle, highly surprised emotion.
“Yeah, it is really, really surprising for you and for me also, Chrites.
A Legendary Master’s family commands immense authority.”
“Let us just get to campus before the warning bell rings,” Shevy instructed, leading the way down the paved avenue.
The six teenagers walked together toward the main academy entrance.
Along the way, Rivb kept poking Chrites in the ribs, laughing boisterously.
“I still cannot believe the average lazy guy is getting proposed to by royalty,” Rivb joked, speaking with a highly sarcastic, teasing emotion.
“You better practice your polite manners, bro.”
“Shut up, Rivb,” Chrites grunted, speaking with an annoyed, tired emotion.
“Leave him alone,” Chrono added, speaking with a calm, protective emotion.
“If Vaelora’s family gets offended, it could cause massive political issues for Class Division Four.”
TAP!
TAP!
Their boots echoed rhythmically against the stone steps as they passed through the towering iron gates of the G.M.W.U.
campus.
Thousands of recruits were hurrying along the courtyards, but Chrites completely ignored the surrounding noise.
Once they entered their assigned classroom and took their seats in the tiered wooden desks, the morning lectures officially began.
An elderly instructor stood at the chalkboard, drawing complex diagrams of basic mana circulation and continental history.
Chrites rested his chin on his hand, staring blankly at the front wall.
He did not hear a single word the instructor droned on about.
His mind was trapped in deep, highly analytical thoughts about Vaelora.
Because she was the direct daughter of a Legendary Master, the risks were absolutely astronomical.
If she was acting as a spy for her father, or if she suspected his true identity as the masked demon who destroyed the Cebel safe, he would have to take immediate, drastic measures to secure his organization’s safety.
He spent the entire two-hour lecture tapping his pen silently against his desk, obsessing over every possible tactical scenario.
RING!
The loud, metallic lunch bell finally detonated through the hallways, signaling the official start of the first midday break.
The classroom erupted into chaotic movement as hungry students grabbed their bags and rushed toward the main cafeteria doors.
Chrites stood up slowly, sharing a quick, highly serious look with Linease before turning away from his friends.
“Good luck, bro!” Rivb shouted across the desks, speaking with a loud, encouraging emotion.
Chrites slipped quietly out the side exit of the building, avoiding the crowded corridors entirely.
Vaelora’s specific instructions had relayed that she would be waiting for him in the highly secluded, quiet backyard directly behind the campus infirmary.
It was a forgotten grassy lot surrounded by tall brick walls and thick green bushes, completely hidden from the watchful eyes of the academy instructors.
SWISH!
The cold midday wind rustled the leaves as Chrites walked around the corner of the white infirmary building.
He kept his hands stuffed deep into his coat pockets, maintaining his perfectly average, slouched civilian posture.
Stepping out onto the hidden green lawn, his glowing blue eyes immediately locked onto the center of the yard.
Standing there perfectly still, beneath the shadow of a tall oak tree, was Vaelora.
She wore the pristine, high-ranking uniform coat of an elite recruit, her posture radiating the undeniable, refined confidence of a Legendary Master’s lineage.
She was looking straight at the pathway, waiting patiently for him to arrive.