Glacial Sphere Academy's Training Facility (An hour before Angela met up with the others)
The training facility was designed exclusively for Novice cadets, sprawled over a large expanse of about a thousand square meters. It buzzed with the faint echoes of clashing weapons and the grunts of fellow students adjusting to their new environment.
The facility was equipped with numerous training stations and a variety of weapons, offering everything they needed to sharpen their skills.
Upon entering, Angela quickly took in the sight of her fellow cadets. Most were still trickling in, some chatting in small groups, others dragging their feet, reluctant to train. However, one figure stood out amidst the lethargy—Cypher who is fully engrossed in training.
He was working through a series of intricate moves with a practice sword, sweat glistening on his brow as he weaved in and out of the station's various obstacles.
"Just as I suspected, you're here," Angela called, a teasing lilt in her voice as she stepped further into the gym station. She couldn't help but admire his dedication, even if she didn't quite share his enthusiasm for training on the very first day.
Cypher paused mid-move, glancing over his shoulder with a brief smile. "Angela? What are you doing here?"
"To train, of course," she replied, a teasing edge to her voice. "But I won't be a maniac like you. Just look at what you did to those poor sword target stands," she gestured to the wobbling targets that bore the marks of his relentless practice, some even knocked over from his vigorous enthusiasm.
He chuckled, not at all apologetic. "I might have gone a little overboard."
Angela smirked but quickly refocused. "Anyways, want to see me train?" she said, pointing towards a room at the far end of the facility.
Cypher looked at where she was indicating and immediately frowned. "I hate that one. It's hard for me to train in there," he muttered, his face scrunching up in distaste.
"I hate that one. It's hard for me train in there." Cypher grabbed a towel hanging on the bench as he swiped his sweaty forehead.
"It's necessary for me," Angela replied, crossing her arms with a hint of pride. "I'm an archer, and I've been training since I was six years old. It helps develop my accuracy and control under pressure."
He respected her dedication and the years of honing her skills. "Yeah, but you make it look easy," he said, shaking his head, his expression a mix of annoyance and admiration. "I can barely stand up in there without feeling like I'm going to topple over. It's like trying to shoot arrows while riding a roller coaster."
Angela laughed, her bright eyes sparkled at the comparison. "Exactly!" she exclaimed, an infectious excitement bubbling up in her. "That's the whole point. It forces you to focus amidst chaos, and if you can land your shots in that environment, then you're golden when it comes to the real thing." She stepped closer to the doorway, peeking inside. The shifting gravitational fields were already making her feel butterflies of anticipation in her stomach.
"Easier said than done," Cypher grumbled, but the hint of a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth, amused by Angela's enthusiasm for training. "...Right. Do you know that we have a mercenary in our class now?"
"A mercenary? Oh yeah, is this about Emillia or whatever choosing a dagger?" Angela asked, raising an eyebrow as she nocked another arrow and prepared for her shot.
"Yeah… Umm, why is your face like that?" Cypher watched as a twisted expression formed on Angela's features, concern mingling with annoyance.
"Hah! She's not considered as a mercenary or even an assassin. A small weapon like that? She can only inflict small slashes to her enemies. I don't know why that Emillia chose a dagger out of all the weapons out there," Angela replied, her voice tinged with frustration.
Cypher opened his mouth to correct her, wanting to point out that her name was actually Remillia, but he hesitated. It was clear Angela was already annoyed, and he figured it was better to keep the peace for now.
"Maybe she already gave up being a cadet. That's why she chose a weapon like that," Angela said, her tone intimate but colored with disdain.
"Gave up? Don't say something like that. She's still a classmate of ours," Cypher countered, his brows furrowing in disapproval.
Angela's frustration erupted. "Why are you defending her? Are you already close with her?" Jealousy flickered in her eyes, the question hanging thick in the air between them.
Realizing she had let her guard down, Angela quickly sobered, her expression shifting as she met Cypher's gaze. "Cypher... sorry for lashing out on you."
"That's okay," he replied, a hint of empathy softening his expression. "It seems that you have a lot on your plate."
Angela sighed, the tension fading as she placed her bow down on the rack. "I think I should skip training for today. I promised I'd meet up with Whitney and the rest."
"Okay, see you later then," Cypher said, nodding, his tone lightening in the wake of the moment.
"Bye, Cypher," Angela responded, giving him a wave as she started to exit the training area.