The cold water trailed down Luca’s neck in thin rivulets, biting against his skin like icy fingers. He leaned forward, one palm braced against the slick tile of the shower wall, head bowed as if the weight of his thoughts pressed him down.
Well, at least we got a fourth mber, he mused, eyes narrowing at the mory of Big Bull’s foolish grin. A bit simple-minded, sure... but strength like that can’t be overlooked. Still... why was he never ntioned in the ga? Soone like him—hidden in the background, buried where nobody cared to look. Was he just overlooked, mocked, and ignored until no one discovered him?
The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth. Then how many more like him are there, rotting in obscurity?
A sigh slipped past his lips, swallowed by the hiss of water. Luca shut off the shower, dragging a hand through his damp hair. The faint moonlight spilling through the high dorm window painted the floor in silver streaks. Wrapping a towel loosely around his shoulders, he muttered under his breath, "We only have till tomorrow evening until we have to submit the team."
He dried off quickly and threw on fresh clothes before slumping onto his bed. The mattress dipped under his weight, the springs creaking faintly. He lay there staring at the ceiling, chest rising and falling as his thoughts churned.
Who would have thought it’d be this difficult to gather a team? His lips curved into a humorless smile. It’s all because of hell difficulty. No one wants to risk themselves... no one wants to challenge the unknown.
He rolled to his side, arm tucked under his head. His mind drifted to the dungeons, countless doors leading to unpredictable nightmares. Which dungeon will it be? There are so many... but whatever it is, I should have cleared it at least once in the ga. Still... this academy doesn’t follow the sa rules anymore. Who can predict what they’ll consider "normal" now?
A sudden glow interrupted his spiraling thoughts. His communication crystal, resting on the bedside table, pulsed faintly with light.
Luca blinked, frowning as he sat up and reached for it. "What does she want at this ti?" he muttered.
He stared at the glowing crystal for a beat longer, debating whether to ignore it. But then he exhaled, grabbed his jacket, and pulled it on. Well... whatever. I’m not sleepy anyway.
The night air greeted him as he stepped outside, cool and sharp, carrying the faint rustle of leaves. The breeze played through his damp hair, tugging it into disarray as he walked across the quiet campus.
By the ti he reached the academy’s park, the shadows of trees swayed under the moonlight, their silhouettes stretching long across the path. And there—seated near the fountain’s edge—was a figure he recognized instantly.
"What is it... Selena?" Luca asked, his voice low.
Her hair, white as freshly fallen snow, shimred faintly under the night glow. Athyst eyes turned toward him as he approached, her gaze calm yet piercing, as if she were quietly dissecting him.
Her lips parted slightly, her tone steady, cold, carrying no trace of hesitation. "Sorry for disturbing you at this ti."
Luca lifted a hand dismissively, trying to mask his curiosity. "No worries. Why did you want to et?"
Inside, though, his mind churned. What does she want from at this hour?
Selena held his gaze, expression unreadable. Then, with the sa icy calm, she asked, "Do you have one more place in your team?"
For a mont, Luca froze, blinking as if he’d misheard. His composure slipped, surprise flashing across his face. "What?" he said sharply, disbelief lacing the word.
Did I hear that right?
Selena nodded once, her expression unchanged as her soft voice carried in the night air.
"It’s fine if there is none. I will look for sothing else."
She turned slightly, as if ready to walk away, when Luca instinctively reached out a hand, stopping her.
"W-wait," he blurted, his brows knitting. "What happened? Weren’t you in Aiden’s team?"
He forced his tone to stay calm, but inside, his thoughts ran in circles. What’s going on here? There’s no reason for her to leave Aiden’s side...
Selena’s gaze drifted away for a second before returning to him, steady as always.
"Yeah. I was."
Luca tilted his head, nudging, urging her to continue.
"Then...?"
Silence.
Her eyes lowered, her fingers brushing lightly against the hem of her long sleeve as the pause stretched unbearably long.
Oh, co on, Luca thought, shifting uneasily on his feet. This silence is killing .
Finally, she spoke.
"I had so disagreents with..."
Luca’s sharp mind clicked the pieces together.
"Lilliane?"
Selena nodded once, the faintest glimr in her athyst eyes.
Luca exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. I didn’t expect this to happen this soon... In the ga, conflict between them was frequent, sure, but that was also one of the reasons why Lilliane...
His gaze flicked to Selena, who stood motionless under the dim moonlight, her calm deanor unshaken.
But back then, when it happened, Aiden, Selena, and Kyle were already close enough that Lilliane—with her reserved nature—was the one who got ousted. Now though... thanks to a certain soone, she’s more open. More expressive. And maybe... a little too aggressive.
The silence dragged once more. Selena’s tone, as flat as ever, cut through it.
"What are you thinking? If you don’t want either, that’s fine."
Her words carried no emotion, but there was a faint tightening of her fingers at her side, betraying the smallest sliver of unease.
Luca quickly waved a hand. "No, no—you misunderstand. I was just... thinking about sothing else."
His lips quivered in a dry half-smile. "We do lack a good mage in our team."
And we just got the best in the entire first year.
Selena’s eyes lingered on him, searching, before she gave a small nod.
"So... is the team full now?"
Luca straightened, his earlier tension easing as he nodded firmly.
"With you, we’ve gathered all five mbers."
"Then let’s et tomorrow, and submit the application."
"Alright."
Selena dipped her head slightly, then turned, her white hair shimring faintly as it caught the silver of the moonlight. Her footsteps were light, her back straight as she walked away.
Luca stood watching her until her figure blended into the shadows of the park. He let out a long breath, running a hand through his hair.
"Well... that solves at least one problem, I guess. As for her and Lilliane..."
His eyes narrowed faintly, the weight of tomorrow pressing on his shoulders.
"...let’s focus on that later."
Shoving his hands into his pockets, he turned and made his way back toward the dorms, the cool night breeze following him all the way.
***
The morning sun spilled over the training grounds, casting long golden streaks across the packed dirt. Luca stood with Big Bull, Eric, and the Saintess, arms loosely folded, the faint breeze carrying the sound of clashing steel from other students sparring nearby.
Eric leaned closer, his grin sharp and mischievous. "So... who’s the fifth mber? Who did you manage to drag in overnight?" His tone was half-joking, but his eyes glead with real curiosity.
The Saintess, standing beside him with her hands folded neatly before her, gave a small nod, echoing the question. Her expression, however, was a shade darker than usual, the corners of her lips pulled ever so slightly downward.
Luca caught that sour look again, and the thought ticked in his mind with so irritation. Seriously, why does her expression turn so unpleasant the mont I ntion the fifth mber? He shifted his gaze briefly toward Big Bull, who was—unsurprisingly—laughing to himself, scratching the back of his head with a sheepish smile as though none of this mattered to him.
Eric groaned dramatically, rubbing the back of his neck. "Oh, co on, tell us already. Why so much secrecy? Don’t tell you’re just bluffing to make us wait."
Luca allowed himself the faintest smirk, raising a brow. "She’ll be here in a mont. Just wait patiently."
Eric’s head tilted sharply at that single word. "She? Wait—don’t tell our mysterious fifth mber is a girl?" His grin widened, clearly more intrigued now.
Luca opened his mouth to respond, but before he could get a word out, a calm, confident voice carried across the grounds.
"I hope I’m not late."
The four of them turned toward the sound in unison. A girl with hair as white as freshly fallen snow stepped into view, her footsteps asured, her gaze steady. Her presence drew attention effortlessly, like the quiet gleam of a blade unsheathed.
Eric’s jaw slackened, his eyes nearly bulging out of his head as his hand pointed at her almost comically. "I–is she the fifth mber!?"
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