It had already been two years since the Minotaur incident.
Standing beneath the midday sun, Yuuya stretched his arms, feeling the weight of time pass by. Now at 13 years old, he was nearing the end of his third semester at Arcadia Academy. Though still young, he had grown noticeably taller, his once-childish features now showing the first signs of maturity. His black hair had grown slightly longer, and his black eyes carried a quiet confidence that set him apart from most of his peers.
After the Minotaur incident, rumours had spread like wildfire. However, to Yuuya's relief, Leonhardt von Alden had been credited as the one who had slain the beast. Though Leonhardt had initially tried to tell the truth, Yuuya had stopped him, urging him to keep it a secret. After much hesitation, Leonhardt had reluctantly agreed.
Perhaps because of that incident—or maybe for another reason—Leonhardt had started hanging out with Yuuya's group more often.
For the past two years, to no one's surprise, Christina von Paldia had secured the Top Student spot in the Knight Department.
Yuuya exhaled, shaking his head. His reputation had also grown since then.
In both his first and second year, he had claimed the title of Top Student in the Mage Department.
Though he had never openly sought recognition, his advancements in magic, educational and strong performance in duels had earned him great respect—at least among the younger students. Many looked up to him, seeing him as an ideal upperclassman.
However, the same couldn't be said about some of the senior students. While a handful admired him, others resented him for rising so quickly. Some saw him as an upstart commoner, while others simply couldn't accept that a boy with no noble lineage had surpassed them.
And then there was Dia-neesan…
Yuuya's fingers twitched slightly at the thought.
For the past two years, she hadn't sent him a single letter.
Not once.
Even when he had returned to Regis's house during breaks, he had found nothing—no letters, no messages, no signs of her presence. It was as if she had vanished from his life.
Yuuya chuckled bitterly. "Maybe she got bored of me."
With a sigh, he continued his walk toward to his room, unaware of the hidden truth behind those missing letters.
Meanwhile, inside the luxurious dormitory, Princess Flora von Araulia lay on her bed, staring up at the ceiling.
Her heart was heavy.
Each passing day, the guilt inside her grew stronger.
With trembling hands, she reached for the drawer beside her bed, pulling it open. Inside, stacked neatly, were numerous unopened letters—all bearing the same name for the sender.
Dia.
At first, it had only been one letter. But after taking it, the bird messenger that carried the letters continued bringing them to her.
Why?
Because to the bird, Flora was the messenger for Yuuya.
After all, she had taken the letter before.
At the beginning, Flora had tried to deliver the letters to Yuuya. But each time she approached him, she hesitated.
In the end, she had kept them all.
Flora clutched the latest letter against her chest, her heart twisting painfully.
Yuuya was her saviour.
He was the one who had healed her, protected her, and changed her world.
She didn't want him to leave.
Deep inside her heart, she knew the truth—if Yuuya ever received these letters, he would undoubtedly seek out Dia. He would choose Dia over her.
A bitter smile formed on her lips.
Why?
Why did it have to be Dia?
Why couldn't it be her?
Flora felt a mix of guilt and jealousy—emotions she never wanted to admit.
With a sigh, she placed the letter back in the drawer, shutting it tightly.
For now, she would keep them hidden.
For now, Yuuya would remain by her side.
Next day, as Yuuya approached Eltharion's office after being called, a familiar figure caught his eye.
Standing just outside the office, looking as serious as ever, was Leonhardt von Alden.
"Oi, Leonhardt," Yuuya called out, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "You got called here too?"
Leonhardt turned his gaze toward him, nodding. "Yeah. Looks like we're both involved in something."
Yuuya narrowed his eyes slightly.
Something about this felt off.
Leonhardt was a fifth-year student, already close to graduation. If this were about a normal academy matter, he wouldn't be involved. And if Yuuya himself was being dragged in too… it definitely wasn't something simple.
(Tch.) Yuuya clicked his tongue. (I already don't like this.)
Pushing those thoughts aside, the two of them entered the office.
Inside, Eltharion sat comfortably behind his large mahogany desk, lazily sipping tea. As always, the headmaster's demeanour was far too relaxed, as if he had all the time in the world. His silver hair was slightly unkempt, and his elegant robes draped casually over his shoulders.
The office itself was just as grand as always—lined with ancient tomes, magical scrolls, and powerful artifacts, many of which Yuuya suspected could probably level a city if used incorrectly.
Eltharion glanced up as they entered, smiling warmly.
"Ah, you're both here." He gestured toward the seats in front of him. "Please, have some tea."
Yuuya ignored the offer. "Just get to the point," he said flatly, crossing his arms.
Leonhardt, on the other hand, took the offered cup and sipped without hesitation.
Eltharion sighed, clearly amused by Yuuya's impatience. "Straight to business, huh? Very well."
He set down his cup and leaned forward, his expression growing serious.
"The Knight Order from Paldia has requested support from Arcadia Academy. They are asking for one knight and four mage students to assist them."
Leonhardt raised an eyebrow. "Assist them? In what?"
Eltharion tapped his fingers on the desk. "They want to provide students with real-world combat experience. Specifically, they require mage support for their upcoming operations."
Real-world combat experience?
Yuuya frowned. "What kind of 'operations' are we talking about here?"
Eltharion's gaze sharpened. "There have been rising incidents of rogue magic beasts near the border of Paldia. The Knight Order wants to eliminate them before they become a threat to nearby towns. However, their forces are currently stretched thin, so they requested support from us."
Leonhardt nodded. "So, this is an actual subjugation mission, not just a training exercise."
Eltharion nodded. "Exactly." His gaze flickered between the two. "Since this is a serious operation, I have decided that Leonhardt will lead the team, and Yuuya will serve as his primary support mage. The other three mages are being selected by the professors."
Yuuya immediately felt alarm bells ringing in his head.
Yeah, no. Absolutely not.
"I'm not interested," he said bluntly. "Find someone else."
But before he could even finish processing his refusal, Leonhardt cut in immediately.
"We'll do it."
Yuuya turned to him in shock. "…Wait, what?"
Leonhardt crossed his arms, his gaze unwavering. "I'm already a fifth-year student, and I'll be graduating soon. I need this experience before I officially join the Knight Order."
Yuuya scowled. "So? That's your problem, not mine."
Leonhardt smirked. "If I'm going, you're coming too."
Yuuya's eye twitched. "Tch… You're forcing me into this, aren't you?"
"Obviously." Leonhardt took another sip of his tea, looking completely unbothered.
Yuuya ran a hand down his face. I hate this guy.
Eltharion, meanwhile, watched the exchange with clear amusement, as if this had played out exactly as he expected.
"…Fine," Yuuya finally muttered, slumping into his chair. "I'll do it."
Eltharion clapped his hands together, a satisfied smile on his face. "Excellent! I knew you two would agree."
Yuuya let out a long, exhausted sigh.
Somehow, he felt like he was being set up for trouble.
Meanwhile,
Far away, inside a grand office lined with magic books, magical artifacts, and softly glowing crystals, Dia von Neredras sat slumped over her ornate desk. The once pristine stacks of parchment and neatly arranged spellbooks had become an absolute mess—signs of sleepless nights spent working tirelessly, drowning herself in research.
The soft glow of enchanted lamps illuminated her wavy pink hair, which had lost its usual lustre. Her normally radiant golden eyes were dulled with exhaustion, dark circles forming beneath them. Despite her noble upbringing, her appearance was far from elegant at the moment—her robes were slightly wrinkled, and her usually neat posture was nowhere to be found.
Yet, despite all her hard work, despite all her distractions, one thought refused to leave her mind.
Yuuya hadn't replied to her letters.
For two years.
Her hand, gripping a quill, trembled slightly as she stared blankly at the parchment in front of her. The ink she had carefully written moments ago had already begun to dry, but the letter remained unfinished.
"…Why?" she whispered, her voice barely above a breath.
Her mind, usually sharp and analytical, felt slow, sluggish.
It made no sense.
Yuuya wasn't the type to ignore her letters. He wasn't the type to forget her.
She had written him dozens of times.
At first, she had waited patiently, thinking he must have been too busy with his studies at Arcadia Academy. After all, he had just entered at the time.
But as weeks turned to months, and months turned to years, a painful realization had begun to sink in.
Had he… abandoned her?
The thought was so painful that she physically flinched, clutching her robes as if she were trying to hold her heart together.
She hadn't meant to get so attached.
She hadn't meant to care this much.
Yet, every day without his letters felt emptier. The warm presence she had once grown used to—the young boy who always smiled at her, who always called her "Dia-neesan"—was nowhere to be found.
Her body trembled as she buried her face into her hands.
Her maid, who had been standing nearby, sighed softly. "My lady, please rest. You've barely slept this week."
But Dia barely heard her words.
She was too overwhelmed by the emotions bubbling inside her.
Tears pricked at her eyes, blurring her vision. Before she could stop herself, she finally broke down.
"I miss him… I miss Yuuya's face… I miss his sweets…" she sobbed, her voice thick with longing.
The maid paused, rubbing her temples. She had seen this exact scene too many times.
This wasn't the first time Dia had collapsed in frustration, loneliness, and cravings all at once.
"Here we go again…" the maid muttered under her breath.
Dia, meanwhile, had now fully succumbed to her emotions, clutching her stomach dramatically.
"Yuuya always made the best sweets!" she wailed. "Do you know how long it's been since I last had his handmade tarts? Or his perfectly balanced pancakes? Or—" She let out a choked cry. "—his legendary honey-glazed cookies?!"
Her golden eyes glistened with unshed tears as she stared at her maid like a tragic heroine who had lost everything.
The maid sighed. "My lady, you're one of the most powerful mages in the world. Why don't you just order the best sweets from the capital?"
Dia shook her head furiously, looking deeply offended.
"You don't get it," she sniffled, wiping her tears. "Those aren't the same. Yuuya's sweets are made with care. With love. With patience."
The maid arched an eyebrow. "You mean the love of him humoring your endless demands?"
Dia ignored the comment, sinking back into her chair with a wistful sigh.
"His sweets always had just the right amount of fluffiness, sweetness, and warmth," she murmured, staring up at the ceiling as if remembering a fond, distant memory. "Whenever I ate them, I felt like the world was just a little bit brighter."
A moment of silence passed.
Then Dia suddenly sat up straight, her expression shifting from miserable to determine in an instant.
"I need to find him."
The maid blinked. "Pardon?"
Dia slammed her hands on the desk, her golden eyes burning with intensity.
"I've had enough. I refuse to suffer in silence anymore!" she declared, dramatically pointing toward the window. "If Yuuya won't send me letters, then I'll go to Arcadia Academy myself and meet him there!"
The maid, having long since learned not to question Dia's sudden bursts of emotions, simply sighed again.
"...Seriously, just where did that boy disappear to?"
"And my lady, You can't go to the academy."