For several long minutes, Ariana and Raven sat facing one another without exchanging a single word.
The silence wasn’t uncomfortable, but it was heavy—filled with unspoken thoughts, mories, and an odd sense of familiarity.
Eventually, Ariana felt it was only right for her to speak. After all, she was the host here.
She cleared her throat lightly and muttered, almost cautiously,
"How are the artifacts Adrian made working?"
Raven nodded, a soft smile forming on her lips. "They are... miraculous."
She paused for a mont, as if choosing her words carefully, before continuing,
"He has changed how people see things.
More importantly, he has eased the lives of countless farrs. Many of them were crushed under the pressure of producing enough food for the general masses. So even lost their lives trying."
Ariana’s expression softened. She smiled faintly, relief flickering in her eyes.
"That... sounds reassuring," she said. After a brief hesitation, she added,
"If there’s anything else Adrian—or even I—could do to help..."
Raven shook her head. "No, it’s alright now. Adrian recently brought us tons of grains as well. He has already done more than enough for us."
Her voice carried certainty, not gratitude born of politeness, but the calm of soone who truly believed it.
Ariana humd in response, a small smile tugging at her lips.
"He’s just like that," she said. "Always thoughtful. Always thinking of others."
Her gaze drifted slightly as she recalled a mory.
"I rember ntioning to him once that I liked drinking hot chocolate in the morning. But the common halls were so far away, and with the rush every day, I could never have it."
She chuckled quietly.
"Two weeks later, Adrian ca to with an artifact that makes hot chocolate with just a single click."
Raven’s brows lifted in mild surprise. "That sounds like him."
Curiosity sparked in Ariana’s eyes. She leaned forward just a little.
"How was he as Avirin?" she asked. "The sa? Caring and sweet?"
Raven tilted her head, thinking back.
"Not sweet," she replied honestly. "But he was kind."
After a short pause, she added,
"He was like a sheldao fruit—hard on the outside, almost unapproachable. But inside, extrely soft and sweet. He didn’t trust people easily but once he got familiar with soone, he looked after them."
Ariana laughed under her breath. "Dishonest, it appears."
Raven nodded without hesitation. "Yes. Exactly."
She exhaled softly before continuing, her tone quieter now.
"While his personality has changed, I still can’t truly differentiate between Avirin and Adrian."
Her eyes t Ariana’s once more.
"At his core... he is still the sa person."
Raven fell silent after that, her fingers lightly tightening over her lap.
She hesitated, her gaze shifting toward Ariana for a brief mont before she finally gathered the courage to speak.
"Umm... it was so sudden..." Raven said softly, her voice careful. "Were you... okay with it?"
Ariana humd, not answering imdiately. Then she asked instead,
"You an your relationship with him? Well... I was a little upset. Ruby was too."
Raven slowly lowered her head, exactly as she had expected. The reaction didn’t surprise her, yet it still weighed on her chest.
Before the silence could stretch further, Ariana continued, her tone calm and steady.
"But one of my concerns vanished after eting you."
Raven blinked, montarily caught off guard. She lifted her head and turned toward the silver-haired woman, confusion clear in her eyes.
Ariana smiled softly at her.
"At least," she said gently, "the person he chose for himself cares about him—not just about his past."
Raven froze for a second. Then her shoulders eased, and sothing warm flickered across her expression. She nodded faintly, unable to find the right words to respond.
...
A short distance away, Adrian stood beside the fire, grilling what little was left. He glanced over his shoulder and asked casually,
"How is she?"
Ruby blinked in surprise. "What do you an?"
"Your impression of Querella?"
Ruby followed his gaze, looking toward the raven-haired woman seated beside Ariana. She watched them quietly for a mont before replying,
"She makes rember my old days."
Adrian tilted his head slightly. "Hmm?"
Ruby continued, her tone thoughtful.
"Back when I was young, I was always conscious of how I sat, how I talked, even how I ate—thanks to my mother."
She paused, then added,
"Raven gives the sa feeling. But she does everything naturally. Effortlessly."
Adrian listened, a faint smile forming.
"Her composure," Ruby finished, "it’s staggering."
Adrian chuckled softly. "That’s quite the observation."
Ruby smiled wryly.
"Well, she is a queen," she said. "And beyond that... she’s a sweet person. I can tell she genuinely adores you."
Adrian didn’t reply imdiately, but the quiet smile he wore said enough.
....
Not long after that, everyone moved inside as the sun slowly dipped beyond the horizon.
The fading light painted the windows in muted shades of orange before night finally settled in.
Adrian lit the fireplace, and soon a gentle warmth spread through the room. The group gathered close, drawn in by the crackling fire. The couch was broad, and the blanket draped over it was thick—enough to ease the bite of the chilling cold that lingered in the air.
Raven hesitated at first, unsure if she should join them. It took a quiet assurance from Adrian before she finally sat down.
Now, Adrian occupied the middle of the couch, with Ariana and Annabelle on either side of him. Raven sat beside Ariana, while Ruby took her place on Annabelle’s right.
Annabelle snuggled closer to Adrian, her arms wrapping around him as she tilted her head back dramatically.
"Daaaaarling..." she whined, drawing out the word. "Why is this day so short? Can’t you stay with us for just one more day?"
Ruby chuckled softly at her exaggerated plea, while Ariana simply shook her head, already familiar with Annabelle’s tactics.
Adrian smiled helplessly and replied gently,
"Sorry, Bella. As you know, besides the responsibility of the academy, I still have other things I need to work on."
Querella spoke up then, her voice hesitant but clear.
"Are you... going to train with Valor?"
Silence fell over the room almost instantly. One by one, everyone turned their gaze toward Adrian.
The brown-haired man took a mont before slowly nodding.
"Yes... I’m going there tomorrow."
Sohow, hearing it confird only deepened the unease in the air.
Sensing their concern, Adrian raised a brow and asked lightly,
"What happened? It’s just training."
Ariana let out a quiet sigh.
"It’s nothing," she said, though her tone said otherwise. "It’s just... I can’t imagine soone forcing that bastard to retreat."
Ruby humd in agreent.
"We’ve never t that person. So for you to go to his world just to train... it is a little concerning."
Raven blinked, surprised by their reaction. She straightened slightly before speaking with calm confidence.
"Valor is a good person. I’ve t him," she assured them. "He deeply cares for and respects Adrian. You can rest assured—he won’t cause him any harm."
Her words didn’t erase all their worries, but they softened the tension enough for the warmth of the fire to settle back into the room.
Adrian broke the brief silence, his voice steady but carrying a weight that none of them missed.
"This is no longer a requirent," he said, "but a necessity. What we faced recently... I don’t want to go through that again."
His gaze hardened slightly.
"Because this ti, I’m not waiting for them to attack my ho."
Ariana’s brows lifted at once. "Adrian... what are you planning?"
He shook his head slowly. "Nothing concrete yet," he replied honestly. "But I can assure you of one thing—they will never attack the academy again."
He wasn’t going to allow them another chance.
If they wanted him, then they would get him.
But along with Adrian would co a wave of chaos—one that would erase their intentions, their twisted thoughts, and eventually, their very existence.
"Darling, don’t make that face."
Annabelle’s sudden voice pulled him out of his thoughts, drawing his attention back to the room.
Raven spoke next, her tone gentle yet firm.
"Please don’t harm yourself just to protect others."
Ariana followed imdiately, her voice tight.
"Because the people you’re trying to protect would break... and might even end their lives if sothing happens to you."
Ruby nodded in agreent.
"She’s right. So whatever you plan to do," she added, "make sure you tell us."
Adrian looked at each of them in turn. The concern in their eyes left him with no room to deflect or joke.
He smiled helplessly and leaned back against the couch.
"I... understand," he said quietly. "And I’m sorry for worrying you all."
The fire continued to crackle, its warmth steady—while the weight of unspoken promises settled between them.
°°°°°°°°°
A/N:- Thanks for reading. Bonding between Querella and the rest would continue since she is going to co over often and we would see Ariana traveling to the other world possibly in the future too.
Anyway, drop a comnt.
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