The morning light filtered through the grand windows of the Vandren estate, casting a golden glow over the polished floors. The soft hum of activity filled the halls—servants moving about, preparations being made, and the faint aroma of fresh tea and baked goods lingering in the air.
Today was the day.
Diana and I were heading back to the academy.
I stood by the entrance, my luggage already packed and ready to be loaded into the carriage. The week had flown by in a blur of intense training, revelations, and—of course—Diana's relentless teasing. And now, we were about to return to the chaos that was our school life.
Across from me, Diana stretched her arms above her head, looking completely at ease. "Back to school, huh? I bet the others missed you~"
I rolled my eyes. "It's only been a week."
"A very eventful week," she pointed out, smirking. "What do you think their reactions will be when we arrive together? Holding hands? Maybe whispering sweet nothings to each other?"
I shoved her. "None of that is happening."
She laughed, catching herself with ease. "You're no fun."
Before I could retort, the sound of approaching footsteps caught my attention. My mother and father appeared, their expressions warm yet serious.
"You'll both be careful, won't you?" Eleanor asked, brushing a stray strand of hair from my face. "There's been no further incidents near the academy, but still…"
"We'll be fine," I reassured her. "And if anything does happen, we'll handle it."
My father, Duke, folded his arms, nodding approvingly. "That's my girl." Then, he turned to Diana, his sharp gaze softening slightly. "Keep an eye on her."
Diana placed a hand over her heart, grinning. "Of course, sir. I'll protect her with my life."
I groaned. "Don't encourage her."
Duke chuckled, ruffling my hair, much to my displeasure. "I'll be expecting updates from you both. Especially you, Sera." His voice turned serious. "Remember what we talked about. If anything feels off, if anything changes—"
"I know," I interrupted gently. "I'll be careful."
Eleanor stepped forward, pulling me into a tight embrace. "We love you, sweetheart."
My throat tightened slightly. I hugged her back. "I love you too."
As she pulled away, she gave Diana a knowing look. "And you," she said, voice laced with amusement. "Try not to cause too much trouble, alright?"
"No promises," Diana quipped.
With one final farewell, we stepped into the carriage, the door closing behind us. The horses began their steady trot forward, and the Vandren estate slowly disappeared into the distance.
I exhaled, leaning back into the seat, feeling the weight of returning to the academy settle over me.
Diana, of course, had no such worries.
She stretched out beside me, looking far too comfortable. "So, how long do you think it'll take before the others demand to know everything about what happened this past week?"
I sighed, already feeling the incoming headache. "The second we step out of this carriage."
Diana grinned. "Oh, this is going to be fun."
And as the academy gates came into view, I braced myself for what was surely going to be yet another exhausting, chaotic day.
The carriage rolled to a slow stop in front of the academy gates. Even from inside, I could already hear the distant chatter of students, the faint echoes of laughter, and the undeniable hum of excitement in the air. The Festival of Laze may have passed, but academy life never seemed to slow down.
Diana was the first to step out, stretching her arms above her head as if she hadn't just spent a week causing absolute havoc in my life. I, on the other hand, took a deep breath, preparing myself for what was to come.
Because the moment I stepped out of this carriage—I knew I was doomed.
And sure enough, as soon as my feet hit the ground—
"SERA!"
A blur of black and brown barreled toward me before I could react, and the next thing I knew, I was being crushed in a very enthusiastic hug.
"Claire—! I can't—breathe—!" I wheezed, patting her back rapidly.
"Oh, please," Claire scoffed, finally pulling back with an unrepentant grin. "You survived a week of training at home; you can survive my hugs."
Camille approached at a more relaxed pace, arms crossed but with a small smirk tugging at her lips. "You're back," she noted. "In one piece, surprisingly."
Lillian and Tessa followed shortly after, Lillian's expression warm and composed as always, though I caught the flicker of relief in her eyes.
"Welcome back," Lillian said, her smile gentle.
Tessa, on the other hand, was eyeing Diana suspiciously. "Why did you two arrive together?"
And there it was. The moment I had been dreading.
I opened my mouth to give some kind of reasonable explanation, but—
"Well," Diana began, slinging an arm around my shoulder with zero hesitation. "After spending the past week training and sharing a bed, it was only natural for us to arrive together."
You absolute menace.
The world stopped.
Claire's eyes widened, Camille actually faltered for a split second, Lillian's usual composure cracked just slightly, and Tessa?
Tessa laughed. Loudly.
"Oh," Tessa grinned, crossing her arms as she looked at me. "Do tell."
I smacked Diana's arm off me, my face on fire. "It's not like that! She just—! We—! Shut up, Diana!"
Diana just smiled, completely unbothered, as if she hadn't just tossed a grenade into my social life.
"This is amazing," Claire said, looking between the two of us. "I knew something would happen if we left you alone with her."
Camille hummed, tapping a finger against her chin. "You did seem unusually flustered."
Lillian was silent, but I noticed how she was studying Diana closely—her gaze unreadable.
I groaned, already regretting every life choice that had led me to this exact moment. "Can we not make this a big deal?"
"Oh, but it is a big deal," Diana mused. "Should I tell them about how—"
I smacked my hand over her mouth. "We're done. Absolutely done with this conversation."
Diana's shoulders shook with laughter beneath my palm, but at least she didn't say anything further.
Lillian, clearing her throat, gracefully took control of the conversation. "We should head inside before classes begin. There have been some… new developments while you were gone."
I glanced at her warily. "What kind of developments?"
Her gaze darkened ever so slightly. "It's about the North Gate."
And just like that, the teasing was momentarily forgotten.
A cold weight settled in my stomach.
Of course, things wouldn't be so simple.
A heavy silence lingered between us as we walked through the academy halls, the familiar hum of student chatter a stark contrast to the weight pressing on our shoulders.
"So, your families talked about it too, huh?" I finally asked, breaking the silence.
Lillian nodded, her emerald-green eyes solemn. "It's no longer just a rumor. The situation at the North Gate has reached everyone's ears by now. The academy's response has been swift—security has been heightened, and more mages have been deployed across the city's perimeter. There have also been… changes."
"Changes?" I echoed warily.
"The school has implemented stricter regulations regarding the use of magic," Camille interjected. "For now, combat-related spells are only permitted in training grounds, and students caught using magic outside designated areas are being watched."
Watched? That sent an uneasy shiver down my spine.
"It's not just here either," Claire added, arms crossed, her usual playful energy subdued. "Other cities have started mobilizing too. I heard from my family that even minor noble houses are preparing their own defenses. The atmosphere in town is completely different."
"It's been a hectic week for everyone, honestly," Camille muttered.
No one disagreed.
I clenched my fists. This was bigger than I had expected. It wasn't just about the North Gate anymore. If even the academy—one of the most secure places in Fiore—was reinforcing its defenses, then what did that say about the severity of the situation?
"How much time do you think we have before something really happens?" I asked.
No one answered immediately.
But then, Lillian spoke, her voice quieter than before.
"Not much."
And that single sentence was enough to send a cold shiver down my spine.
Before I could even process it further, I felt an arm casually drape around my shoulder, pulling me into an all-too-familiar warmth.
"Eh?" I blinked, startled by the sudden proximity.
When I turned my head, Camille was right there—close enough that I could see the mischief dancing in her icy-blue eyes, close enough that I could feel her breath ghosting over my cheek.
"For now," she said smoothly, her lips curling into that signature playful smirk of hers, "why don't we focus on the positive things? You're back now, and, you know…" She leaned in just a fraction closer, her voice dropping to something almost sultry, "I missed you dearly."
I felt my face heat up instantly. "C-Camille—!"
"Oh? Is our Sera flustered already?" She chuckled, clearly enjoying my reaction.
"You—you didn't act like this before I left!" I sputtered, attempting to wriggle out of her grip, but she tightened her hold just slightly, preventing my escape.
"Absence makes the heart grow fonder," she mused, as if that was a completely normal thing to say.
"More like it makes you bolder," Diana muttered, her tone laced with amusement, though I caught the slight narrowing of her eyes as she watched Camille's antics.
Lillian, standing nearby, merely sipped her tea with a small, knowing smile.
Tessa sighed, shaking her head. "Should've expected this the moment Sera returned."
Claire, on the other hand, was practically vibrating with excitement. "Ohhhh, this is getting good."
"It is not!" I hissed, finally managing to wriggle free from Camille's grasp.
She simply laughed, putting both hands up in a gesture of innocence. "Alright, alright, I'll behave. For now."
Somehow, I doubted that.
But despite the lingering weight of our earlier conversation about the North Gate, the moment of teasing—of ridiculous, shameless flirtation—felt like a small piece of normalcy. And right now, normalcy was something I desperately needed.
For now, we all went our separate ways, filtering into the academy halls as we adjusted back into routine.
Camille, of course, stuck by my side, matching my pace effortlessly as we made our way to Ms. Sinclair's classroom.
"It feels weird, doesn't it?" Camille mused after a moment.
"What does?" I asked, shifting my bag onto my shoulder as we walked.
"Being back here after everything. It's like the world is pretending nothing's changed, but we know better, don't we?"
I hesitated. She wasn't wrong. The halls were still filled with students chattering, rushing to class, laughing about the festival that had passed. But beneath that, there was an undeniable tension, a whisper of uncertainty that wasn't there before. More guards patrolling the academy, an increased presence of magic users in the city, the subtle shifts in security.
And the knowledge that beyond the North Gate, something was stirring.
"Yeah," I admitted. "Everything's the same, but at the same time… it's not."
Camille hummed in agreement. "I don't know what's going to happen, Sera. But whatever it is, we're in it together."
I glanced at her, surprised by the rare moment of sincerity. No teasing, no flirtatious smirks—just Camille, standing beside me, unwavering as ever.
Despite myself, I smiled. "Yeah. Together."
We reached Ms. Sinclair's classroom, the door already slightly ajar. Inside, students were settling into their seats, some chatting, others reviewing notes. Everything about the scene looked normal.
But something told me that this was only the calm before the storm.