"They don't even know who they're up against." Wein emphasized jokingly in front of Loraine.
Loraine, feeling that the comment was directed at her, began to laugh once she realized that what Wein was talking about were the people who attacked them a while ago.
"That's incredible. A war inside a fog was never something I imagined." Loraine laughed, but still maintained her elegance with a soft tone.
Wein's heart began to beat faster the longer they talked. He tried to control himself in every way, but this was different. He then wondered why the girls in this world were more beautiful than in his previous one.
Wein tried to divert his gaze, using some spells to emit a gentle fog to obscure certain scenes.
"That even crossed my mind during the battle," Wein replied cheerfully, giving a joyful expression to Loraine.
Loraine raised her face to look at Wein Arcveil and locked eyes with him. "I thought you only knew how to use guns, but your swordsmanship is actually pretty good." She praised him.
Wein chuckled softly before responding to the warm compliment. "Thank you, Deep Sea Princess," Wein added a bit of teasing in his words.
Deep Sea Princess was a nickname given by some of the male students at the Academy, coined because winning Loraine's heart was incredibly difficult, if not impossible.
The term "deep sea" symbolized that the deeper one fell in love with her, the harder it became to see the world, and they would eventually lose their way. "Princess" was merely a formality, inspired by her stunning beauty.
Even so, giving such an odd nickname to a girl this beautiful? Wein didn't quite agree and glanced back at Loraine.
He became flustered. "Wait—What? How did you know about that? I'm so embarrassed hearing that said out loud." Her face turned red, her eyes wide open in shock.
Seeing her reaction, Wein laughed. He smiled while looking directly into her eyes amidst her awkwardness.
Loraine began to feel shy under his gaze. "Sorry, could you not look at me for a while?" said Loraine, resting her chin on her palm.
Wein nodded in agreement and shifted his gaze toward the moon and several stars scattered across the night sky. He started thinking about a few things.
"Princess—"
Before he could finish his sentence, a clenched fist full of emotion suddenly struck his shoulder hard.
"Ouch! That hurts!" Wein groaned.
"Don't call me that."
Wein raised his left hand to rub his precious shoulder that had just taken the hit.
"Loraine," Wein finally spoke after the awkwardness began to spread, still rubbing his previously assaulted shoulder.
It was impossible for Loraine to stay upset with Wein. She calmed down and replied gently, "Yes?"
"Have you ever imagined how terrifying this fog is? And even now, we still don't know if it's a natural disaster or man-made." His tone became serious. "Sometimes I wonder when this will finally end."
It was incredible—Wein was finally able to talk about deeper matters with Loraine. He felt more comfortable compared to when he was with the fierce Sherlyn.
"Uhm… I hope it ends soon," Loraine didn't have a precise answer and instead chose simple words.
"I hope so too. But it's stealing our freedom, isn't it?"
"Of course it is, right? All I can do is watch. I'm not good at anything besides public speaking and studying."
Wein turned to look at her. "You don't believe in yourself?"
Looking at the side of Loraine's face felt like a slow death—her face was ideal and symmetrical, her nose perfectly shaped, and her eyelashes long and delicate.
"No, I always believe in myself."
"But you're holding back. I can see it in your eyes."
Once again, she lowered her gaze. Her face turned red again, matching the light reflected from the blood moon.
"Raise your gaze, Council President. I don't like it when someone keeps looking at the floor."
"Uh, sorry. I'm just tired." She lifted her gaze again and finally opened her eyes.
"Want to go back? Maybe you'll get more rest."
"Did you know, sometimes women have a place that feels comfortable even if it seems to waste energy—and being next to you makes me feel that comfort."
Wein's heart skipped a beat. It raced for a few seconds before he managed to compose himself and think logically again. "Thank you. I also feel quite comfortable talking with you."
Sometimes, things would end here because the conversation felt like a closing remark, but Wein kept trying to reach that feeling again.
"What about your hobbies, Loraine?" Starting by asking about hobbies was a decent way to restore the mood, even if it was a bit cliché.
This was the first time for Loraine—the first time she felt seen and cared for. She confidently lifted her gaze before answering with enthusiasm, "I love writing."
"That's wonderful," Wein replied.
With the same energy, Loraine immediately asked Wein back about his hobby. "Would raising exotic birds count as a hobby?" he chuckled.
"Wow! That's pretty amazing, isn't it? What's your favorite bird?"
Wein thought hard. He recalled fragments of Wein Arcveil's memories that contained many exotic birds at his home, like ravens, eagles, and others.
It was hard for him, as each bird brought its own experiences and charm. "Maybe a raven."
"I feel like I want to see a raven." Loraine smiled.
"Looks like you'll have to come to my home and see all my pets during the winter holidays."
"Really?"
"Do I look like someone who would lie to a girl as beautiful as you?"
This time, she was caught again by Wein Arcveil's sweet words meant to restore her mood, and he thought this conversation was almost wrapped up.
"I can't wait to see it."
---
"Alright, see you again tomorrow, Wein." Loraine said again with her soft voice—who knew how long it would continue to shake Wein's constantly pounding heart?
After their conversation, escorting Loraine back to her room was Wein Arcveil's intention as a friend. He would go straight to bed afterward.
Loraine stood by her half-open door, her smiling face still watching Wein as he left.
She extended her hand for tonight's goodbye. "Well then, good night, Loraine," said Wein.
Loraine glanced at Wein's hand for a moment before reaching out and holding it for quite a while, only letting go when Wein felt it was too long.
"Good night, Wein Arcveil." She said as she closed the door, her face blushing so deeply that even her ears turned red like a chameleon.
Wein wanted to get home quickly. He walked down the corridor for a few minutes, just a few more places before reaching his room.
This situation was nerve-wracking for him. The corridor he usually considered short now felt endlessly long, with paintings that seemed increasingly alive as his sanity wavered.
Each step was muffled by the carpet lining the entire corridor, but the feeling made his mind start to replay horror scenes in his imagination.
He felt it and looked upward, stopping once he realized his vision was darkening. Wein Arcveil resumed walking.
"Is it me… or is that same thing approaching me again?" he muttered, realizing this was a bad sign.
The corridor was the perfect place to crash into oneself in moments like this. What kind of fog magic would be used on him this time?
A faint breeze tickled his neck, increasing the tension. Wein looked around without stopping and noticed his vision was turning gray.
Fog—that's what was enveloping Wein now. He was inside a tunnel of thin mist that conjured illusions that misled his senses.
The scent of fresh blood reached him after the second breeze brushed past, then disappeared—only to return on the third breeze, now with the smell of dried blood.
This was exactly the same as earlier—the scent of blood and rusted iron marked the arrival of that figure who appeared in the conference room. This time, it would be even harder to detect it.
His vision began to distort. Wake up, Wein—you'll be fine even though your sight is pulsing like your heartbeat. He reassured himself.
The corridor grew longer, and the same sound returned to Wein's ears, becoming clearer with every step until it screamed into his ears, forcing a reflexive reaction to cover them.
"We meet again!" a hoarse, terrifying voice echoed.