—Threads of Preparation
Crownshade Academy – Division C, Room Eleven
Early Morning
The first light of dawn broke across the academy’s spire-studded skyline, gilding the rooftops in a pale gold.
Inside his room, Aeron sat on the edge of his bed, a towel draped over his shoulders, hair damp from his morning wash.
The blue screen shimmered faintly before him.
[Quest: Emberwood Groves Exploration]
Objective: Retrieve one D-grade Beast Core or higher from within the Emberwood Groves.
Reward: +5 to All Stats, 1 Skill Unlock Token, System Feature Expansion.
Time Limit: 7 days.
He read it again.
And again.
The rewards were too good to ignore — especially the stat increase across the board.
But it wasn’t a quest that could be done recklessly.
Seven days.
Enough to prepare.
Enough to make it clean.
Aeron dismissed the panel, rising to his feet.
First — I need gear.
Then, I’ll decide how deep I go.
Morning Classes
The day began like most — a quiet walk to class, Lyra keeping pace beside him.
She no longer trailed behind, but matched his stride, her tail flicking lazily in the morning breeze.
She glanced at him twice during the walk, her voice finally breaking the silence.
“You’ve been… quieter than usual.
Even for you.”
Aeron didn’t slow his steps.
“Thinking.”
“About?”
“Training.” It was the simplest truth he could give without explanation.
Lyra’s ears twitched slightly.
She didn’t press.
Still, her gaze lingered on him a little longer than usual.
In class, Professor Reiner droned on about elemental compatibility charts.
Aeron listened with half an ear, noting the few points that might matter if he encountered elemental beasts.
He’d learned long ago that even theory could save a life if applied well.
Aira, seated two rows over in Division A’s section, found herself glancing his way more often than the blackboard.
When his eyes lifted once and caught hers, she straightened sharply, pretending to scribble notes.
Focus, Aira, she told herself.
You’re not here to stare at him all day.
But the thought didn’t stick.
Midday – Cafeteria
The scent of roasted meat and fresh bread filled the cafeteria.
Aeron and Lyra had claimed a table at the far side, where the crowd thinned.
Aira found them within minutes, red blazer crisp, smile warm.
“Mind if I join?” she asked, already sliding into the seat beside Aeron. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
Lyra offered a polite nod.
“Of course.”
Aira set down her tray, eyeing the way Lyra’s tail curled slightly toward Aeron’s side of the bench.
It was a small thing, but enough to spark a faint flicker of challenge in her eyes.
“You train much outside classes?” Aira asked him between bites.
“Every day.”
“That explains why you look…” she trailed off, her smile edging into a smirk, “…less like a scholar and more like a swordsman.”
Aeron didn’t rise to the compliment.
“You should train, too.”
“I do,” she replied lightly, but her gaze sharpened.
“Maybe we should spar sometime.”
From across the table, Lyra’s voice was mild.
“I think you’d find him… difficult to deal with.”
Aira’s brows lifted at the soft but confident remark.
“Oh?
You sound certain.”
Lyra didn’t flinch under the look.
“I am.”
For a moment, the air between the two girls held an unspoken current — not hostile, but edged.
Aeron caught it, but chose not to comment, returning to his meal.
Unseen, a pair of eyes from a shadowed corner of the cafeteria lingered on their table, watching.
Afternoon – Practical Class
The third class of the day took place in the open training yard, where instructors had set up wooden dummies and mana-reactive targets.
Aeron’s strikes were precise, each mana-infused blow controlled, conserving energy without sacrificing power.
The instructor nodded quietly to himself, marking notes on his clipboard.
Lyra, sparring nearby, risked a glance at him mid-exercise.
She caught the way he corrected his stance between movements, how he never wasted an ounce of effort.
It wasn’t flashy, but it was… disciplined.
Efficient.
And she liked that.
Early Evening –
When classes ended, Aeron didn’t head to the dorms immediately.
Instead, he made his way toward the small trading post nestled within the academy’s southern wing — a place where students could purchase approved gear, potions, and training equipment.
Inside, the shelves were lined with shimmering vials, neatly stacked manuals, racks of practice weapons, and bundles of survival gear.
He moved with purpose:
A reinforced leather satchel.
Two mana-restoration potions.
One minor healing potion.
A compact field knife.
A roll of rope and climbing hooks.
The clerk, a thin man with sharp spectacles, tallied the total and passed him the items.
“You’re not heading to the Groves without permission, I hope?” the man said lightly.
Aeron’s expression didn’t shift.
“I’m not.”
Technically true — for now.
—Professor Synthia
On his way back, Aeron passed the open door of a side room.
She was there.
White-blue hair, eyes like the heart of winter. New chapters come out on g.com first.
Professor Synthia Moonlight.
Her gaze lifted at the sound of footsteps — and for an instant, their eyes locked.
Something cold and vast stirred in his chest.
Not hostility, but depth — a sense that this woman was far more than she appeared.
Synthia’s lips curved faintly.
Not a smile exactly, but something between acknowledgment and curiosity.
Then the moment was gone.
Aeron kept walking.
The system chimed softly in his head.
[Quest Update: Clues Discovered – Professor Synthia Moonlight’s Aura Detected]
Progress: 1/3
Dorm Corridor – Room Eleven
Lyra was just unlocking her door when he arrived.
She turned, her expression soft.
“You’ve been busy today.”
“Preparations,” he said simply.
“For?” she asked.
“Training.”
She studied him a moment longer, her ears twitching faintly.
“…Thank you again, for before.
Back when you stood up for me.”
Aeron’s gaze met hers.
For once, his voice held a warmer note.
“You don’t need to thank me for that.”
Her tail swayed once before she turned to her door.
“Still… I wanted to.”
Division A Dorms – Aira’s Room
Later that night, Aira sprawled across her wide bed, tossing a small pillow into the air and catching it.
Her attendant, a calm young woman named Melis, stood nearby, arms folded.
“You’re in a good mood,” Melis said dryly.
“Why wouldn’t I be?” Aira grinned.
“I saw him three times today.”
Melis gave her a long-suffering look.
“The boy from Division C.”
“The man from Division C,” Aira corrected with a smirk.
“And I think Lyra likes him too.”
Melis raised an eyebrow.
“And that doesn’t bother you?”
Aira rolled onto her stomach, propping her chin on her hands.
“A powerful man can have many wives.
I just plan to be the first one he notices.”
—Aeron’s Room
Aeron sat at his desk, unpacking the gear he’d bought.
The satchel was light but sturdy; the potions clinked softly in their pouches.
He summoned the quest panel one last time, reviewing both active objectives.
Seven days.
Two quests.
And more eyes on him than he cared for.
His lips curved in the faintest smile.
Good.
Let them watch.
The candlelight flickered, casting long shadows across the room as he began to plan.