Donald was a student in the Combat Departnt. He wasn’t at the top of the class, but he wasn’t far from the top ranks either. Among the academy’s diverse mix of students—who ranged across different age groups and skill levels—he often found it challenging to make friends. The academy was a vast and competitive place, where standing out could be difficult, especially for soone still working to carve out a na for himself.
One day, Donald spotted a girl who was probably a few years younger than him, and yet, she caught his attention imdiately. She was clearly a prodigy; her skills in the Combat Classes were exceptional, far beyond what he’d expect from soone her age. She moved with an effortless grace and precision that set her apart from the rest, and her reputation around the academy was growing fast.
Her na was Lily Gos. Donald wasn’t sure what her exact rank or level was, but he was certain of one thing: there was no way she was stronger than him. After all, he was three years older than her. He thinks he has more experience because of his age, and felt confident that his own skills were solid. Surely, she couldn’t be that strong. At least, that’s what he told himself.
Curious and sowhat intrigued, Donald decided he wanted to befriend her. Maybe make her fall in love with him. He figured that if he approached her sympathetically, he might make a good impression. Sympathy was often a reliable way to start a conversation, especially if he wanted to make her feel comfortable and relatable. He thought, She’s younger, maybe she’ll appreciate so friendly support.
With his plan in mind, Donald approached her with a friendly smile, hoping his charm would do the trick.
"Hey..." he began, trying to sound casual yet warm. He expected her to respond well; after all, he was putting in the effort to seem approachable. But as he spoke, he couldn’t shake the feeling that Lily was looking at him... strangely. It was almost as if she was observing him the way an adult might humor a child who was nervously trying to make a good impression.
Lily listened to him with a mild, polite expression, but in her mind, she was far from chard. In fact, she found the whole scene rather amusing. She knew this type all too well—a young man, with a touch of naivety, reaching out with a bashful smile and an air of confidence. To her, it looked like nothing more than a childish crush.
’Aww... How many young hearts am I going to break in this place?’ Lily thought to herself, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. Her inner voice was laced with a hint of narcissism, though it was more playful than anything else. She was used to boys like Donald being drawn to her, but that didn’t make it any less amusing.
As the conversation went on, Donald decided to play the sympathy card. Maybe that would spark a connection, he thought. "Yesterday was my grandmother’s one-year death anniversary," he said, with a sad expression. "I had to miss the practical test because of it. And, well, according to the academy rules, missing a test automatically ans failing. So... they failed ." He sighed, trying to look as disappointed as possible.
Lily simply nodded, showing little reaction. To her, grades and tests weren’t that important. She hadn’t expected this conversation to take such a turn, and frankly, she didn’t see why Donald was sharing all of this. But she humored him, curious to see where he was going with it.
Seeing her lack of response, Donald doubled down, putting on a sad puppy expression. "So... could you maybe tell sothing to cheer up?" he asked, doing his best to look pitiful.
Lily’s eyes brightened with a mischievous spark. "Sure," she replied with a smile. "How about a joke?"
Donald perked up, feeling a bit more hopeful. "Hmm, okay!" He nodded, eager to hear what she had in mind.
"What’s the difference between you and your grandmother?" Lily asked innocently, her expression completely serious.
Donald blinked, caught off guard. "Uh... what?"
"Your grandma passed away," she answered, nodding as if she’d just shared a deep, thoughtful observation. A smirk played at the corners of her lips. "Did that cheer you up?"
Donald’s expression fell, and his face turned pale. His eyes reddened, and his body began to tremble with a mix of shock and anger. He hadn’t expected this response at all, and her deadpan delivery left him speechless.
"Hey, why are your eyes all red? And... why are you shaking?" Lily asked, tilting her head in apparent confusion. "Oh, and why are you reaching for your sword?" she added, noticing the intensity of his glare as he drew his weapon, trembling with frustration.
At that mont, Tyler headed toward the Combat Departnt. He stopped in his tracks, taking in the scene in front of him: Lily, looking mildly amused, and a young man practically vibrating with anger as he gripped his sword. But his face is touching the ground and his pose is weird. It seems like Lily K.O.ed the young boy.
"Huh? Having a sparring match?" Tyler asked, glancing between the two with raised eyebrows.
"Sothing like that," Lily replied with an awkward smile. She quickly took a step toward Tyler, trying to usher him away before things got out of hand.
But Donald, fueled by his wounded pride and humiliated ego, struggled to his feet, pointing his sword in Tyler’s direction. "I challenge you!" he declared, his voice filled with determination.
Tyler raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms with an amused grin. "Bruh... I don’t even know you. And I am from Tech Departnt," he remarked, casting a quick glance at Donald’s visibly shaking form.
But Donald wasn’t listening. Driven by a combination of embarrassnt and stubbornness, he was already charging at Tyler, sword raised high.
Tyler and Lily exchanged a glance, then turned and walked away, leaving behind the astonished students who had gathered to watch. Whispers and murmurs spread through the crowd as everyone stared at the newly made ice statue of Donald, standing in the middle of the training ground. His body encased in a solid layer of shimring ice. His face was frozen in a look of shock, sword still raised.
"Who was that guy?" Tyler asked.
"He’s one of the guys on our list. But it seems he’s not the one," Lily replied.
"How can you tell?" Tyler asked.
"He doesn’t seem like the cautious type. He couldn’t even hold back his emotions. Rember, the person we’re looking for is careful and wants to stay low-key," Lily explained.
"I was planning to have a conversation with him, but he ca to on his own... Guess my luck’s pretty good," Lily smiled.
Tyler’s mouth twitched. It was probably his own abnormal luck at work again. Both helpful and a little terrifying at the sa ti.
"So who are we gonna see next?" Tyler asked.
"This next one is outside the academy. He is little suspicious because he never returned to the academy after the resonance stopped. So you are going Thanes Town." Lily nodded.
Tyler noticed sothing and asked, "Just ?"
"Yeah... I am going for an assignnt to guard a city with other seniors in my departnt. An Abyss passage might open there. One of the teacher in charge is also in our suspicion list. I will watch him. If you want bring others girls with you." Lily said.
┉┈ ◈ ◉ ◈ ┈┉
In a Coffee Shop
"Nooo... I have a date..." Mathilda announced with a hint of excitent.
"A date? Who’s the poor girl?" Tyler replied, unfazed.
"It’s a boy." Mathilda’s response caught him off guard, and for a split second, a flicker of surprise crossed Tyler’s face.
Mathilda watched him closely, clearly hoping for a stronger reaction, but he quickly brushed it off.
"At least pretend to be a little shocked," Mathilda sighed, crossing her arms with mock disappointnt.
Tyler shrugged. "Nah... Why would I care if you go on a date with a boy?" he replied, playing it cool.
Mathilda shook her head with a smirk. "Well, technically, it’s a girl who crossdresses as a boy," she explained, relishing the confusion in Tyler’s eyes. "She’s got this whole act going on, pretending to be a guy. But she can’t fool . I can sll a woman from a mile away. So it’s a win-win for ."
"Oh..." Tyler said, unable to hide a subtle sigh of relief.
Mathilda’s sharp gaze didn’t miss a beat. "Did you just sigh in relief?" she teased, raising an eyebrow.
"No..." Tyler denied quickly, his tone casual. "Anyway, have fun on your... date." He gave a quick wave and started to walk away.
Mathilda watched him go, shaking her head with a small laugh, but then she noticed sothing that made her smile grow even wider: the cup Tyler had been holding had faint cracks along its surface. He had subconsciously squeezed it harder than he realized when she ntioned dating soone else.
"Hehe... So he does care," Mathilda murmured to herself, laughing softly.
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