The tall, arched windows of the hospital wing let in soft moonlight, bathing the rows of beds in a silver glow. A faint scent of healing herbs lingered in the air, mixed with the sharper, bitter tang of Dr. Maeron's remedies.
Headmaster Aurelius Dreymark stepped quietly into the ward, his eyes settling on the young girl lying on a narrow bed near the window. Her pale face was framed by messy strands of golden hair.
"How is she now? Is she awake?" Aurelius asked in his calm, deep voice.
Dr. Maeron, a round-faced man with kind eyes and ink-stained fingers, shook his head with a sigh."According to my observations, Headmaster, she should have woken much earlier. I can't explain why she's taking so long to open her eyes. Everything seems… normal."
Aurelius studied the girl carefully, his gaze thoughtful. Then, slowly, a wide smile spread across his face.
Following that smile, Dr. Maeron looked at the girl more closely—and blinked in surprise. Eirene was indeed awake. Her eyes were half-open, peeking out from under her lashes, but the moment she noticed she'd been spotted, she shut them quickly again.
The doctor frowned. "Is she—?"
"She's pretending," Aurelius said, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. "She just doesn't want your bitter herbs, Doctor."
Before Dr. Maeron could respond, Aurelius shifted his gaze toward the doorway. "And speaking of patients… I believe you have another one."
Dr. Maeron turned and nearly dropped his clipboard. Standing quietly in the doorway was a small boy, no older than twelve. His clothes were torn, his hair was messy, and dark bruises covered his thin arms.
"Oh, my goodness! Look at you!" Maeron hurried forward, his voice full of concern. "Come quickly, my boy. I'll treat you, and you'll see—those bruises will fade before you know it."
But the boy didn't move. His eyes weren't on the doctor at all—they were fixed on Eirene, still pretending to sleep in the bed by the window.
"Boy, come here," Dr. Maeron repeated, more gently this time.
The child finally tore his gaze away from the girl and looked at both the doctor and Aurelius. Without a word, he stepped inside.
"Sit here," the doctor instructed, guiding him to the bed beside Eirene's. The boy obeyed in silence, lowering himself onto the mattress with slow, careful movements.
Maeron began his examination, murmuring to himself as he checked each injury. "Hm… a few cuts, a lot of bruising… nothing broken, thank the gods."
Before applying the healing salve, he looked the boy in the eye. "This might sting a little. Be brave, all right?"
The boy's expression didn't change. Even as the medicine burned against his skin, he sat perfectly still, not flinching, not making a sound.
When Maeron was finished, he stepped back in quiet amazement. "You're a strong one," he said with genuine admiration. "What's your name, child?"
Silence. The boy stared at the floor, saying nothing.
The doctor glanced helplessly at the Headmaster.
Aurelius's eyes softened. He stepped forward and spoke gently. "Aeron," he said, as if testing the name. "That's what I'll call you, until you decide to tell me your real one."
The boy gave no reaction, but something in his gaze flickered—just for a moment.
"Rest here with Eirene," Aurelius continued. "We'll see you in the morning." Then, turning to Dr. Maeron, he added, "I'll be leaving now, Doctor. As you know, tomorrow marks the first day of the new semester. By then, I hope both these children will be well enough to join the House Division Ceremony."
The Headmaster's long robes swept across the floor as he left, the echo of his footsteps fading into the quiet hum of the hospital wing.
As soon as Headmaster Aurelius left, Dr. Maeron lingered for a moment, looking at his two young patients. They were both small, fragile-looking, yet there was something in their eyes—one stubborn, one curious—that told him they were not ordinary children.
"Well," the doctor said softly, "rest well. You'll heal faster that way."
He closed the door behind him, leaving the ward quiet except for the faint ticking of a wall clock and the muffled whistle of the night wind outside.
Kalen sat on the edge of his bed, his bare feet dangling above the polished floorboards. His gaze wandered to the bed by the window. The girl was lying there, the moonlight catching in her hair, turning the strands into threads of silver-gold. Something in her presence felt… familiar. He couldn't explain it. It wasn't her face—he'd never seen her before—but there was a strange pull, like an invisible thread connecting them.
Then, a clear, confident voice rang in his mind, breaking the stillness."Stop staring at me. Haven't you seen a beautiful and charming girl like me before?"
Kalen blinked, startled. The voice hadn't come from her lips—it was in his head.
Without thinking, he looked away, his jaw tightening. He said nothing.
"Hey! I'm talking to you, Aeron!" the voice insisted, using the name the Headmaster had given him. "You know it's bad manners not to answer a lady."
Still, Kalen remained silent. He shifted slightly, pulling his blanket over one shoulder as if the act might shield him from her words.
Eirene narrowed her eyes. She wasn't used to being ignored—ever. Most people either smiled at her charm or at least offered some response. But this boy? He was as silent as a stone.
She tried again. A small cough. A dramatic sigh. Even a quiet hum of a tune to tempt him into conversation. Nothing worked.
Finally, she leaned back against her pillow, folding her arms across her chest. "Unbelievable…" she muttered aloud, her voice dripping with irritation.
Kalen slowly turned his back toward her and closed his eyes, pretending to sleep.
"How arrogant," she whispered under her breath, glaring at the back of his head.
For the first time in her life, someone had simply… dismissed her. She rolled over, trying to force herself to sleep, but her mind kept circling back to the boy in the next bed. Who was he? And why did it feel like there was more to him than met the eye?