Before Kalen and Eirene reached the bulletin board, Eirene suddenly stopped midway, her steps faltering."Let's just go to the library instead," she said quickly, avoiding his eyes.
Kalen frowned, his tone edged with suspicion. "What happened?" he asked firmly.
"Nothing. I've already decided which subject I'm going to take," Eirene replied, her voice steady but a little too firm, as though she was forcing herself to sound confident.
Kalen studied her intently, his brows knitting together, but he stayed quiet, waiting for her to continue.
"I'm choosing Elemental Fundamentals," Eirene declared at last.
Kalen's gaze sharpened. His voice was calm but carried a cold undertone. "May I ask on what basis you made your decision? Or are you simply expecting me to copy you?"
Eirene glared at him, her lips tightening. "You know, Aeron, you're very annoying sometimes," she muttered irritably, her tone laced with anger. The sharpness in her words made Kalen falter, his chest tightening with an unfamiliar sting. But before he could respond, her next words softened like a balm.
"But… I still like your company," she admitted quietly, her eyes flickering away as a faint blush touched her cheeks.
A small spark of relief lit in Kalen's chest, but he masked it with a serious expression. "That's not the answer to my question," he said firmly, his tone brooking no excuses.
His steady gaze bore into her, and under its weight, Eirene's usual playful chatter dimmed. She sighed softly and finally gave an honest answer.
"I'm not a hard worker like you," she admitted with quiet honesty, her tone carrying a touch of shame. "I won't be able to study that much. To me, life should have room for fun and relaxation too. That's why I'm choosing only Elemental Fundamentals."
Kalen tilted his head, considering her words carefully. His tone softened slightly, though it still carried an edge of reasoning. "But if you don't want to take both subjects like I did, then you should have chosen Herbcraft & Minor Healing as your main course instead of Elemental Fundamentals."
Eirene shook her head gently, her voice calm but resolute. "I have my own reasons for this choice. You'll understand them when the time comes. And besides, Kalen… age doesn't define wisdom or intelligence. Yes, you're two years older than me, but that doesn't mean you know everything. After all, despite our age difference, we're still in the same class."
Her tone shifted, lightening as she added playfully, "Now, let's go to the library and collect our books."
Kalen pressed his lips together, suppressing the urge to argue further. Instead, he gave her a short nod, and together, they walked silently toward the library.
When Eirene and Kalen arrived, they found Lily and Marcus already standing in the long line of first-year students, which stretched all the way to the counter. At the front desk, two senior students and a strict-looking librarian were distributing books.
"State your name and chosen subject," the librarian said curtly to each student. The seniors would then hand over a set of thick, leather-bound volumes tied together with a cloth strap. Some students grumbled at the weight, while others eagerly flipped through their new books, their eyes shining with excitement.
Eirene hurried to join Lily and Marcus in the queue. Kalen, however, stepped aside and wandered into the aisles, letting his fingers brush over the spines of older tomes stacked neatly on wooden shelves. His mother had once taught him everything she had learned and mastered—but even then, Kalen always felt as though he already knew what she was teaching him. It was as if the knowledge had been asleep within him, waiting.
Yet, he had never dared to use it. His mother had made him promise never to reveal his abilities until the day came when he would stand in Ravencrest Palace.
That very promise… had cost him her life.
The memory stabbed at his heart. He clenched his fists, regret twisting inside him. The first time he had ever dared to use magic in his eleven years was only days ago—when he faked his death in front of his father's knight. Still, Kalen's heart held full trust in his mother's decisions. Because in Drakoria, he was the only person who knew the truth: his mother was not an ordinary maid, as his father believed, but a powerful witch.
Yet despite her strength, she sacrificed her life instead of fighting Theron Ravencrest. She endured twelve long years of torture at the hands of his father. There had to be a reason behind it all, and Kalen was determined to uncover that reason.
"Kalen!" Eirene's voice snapped him back to reality. She was standing in front of him, waving with one hand while struggling to hold her books with the other. "What are you doing here? Come quickly and grab your books. Only two students are left, and after that the counter will be closed for today!" she called out, her tone sharp with worry.
Kalen blinked, shook off his thoughts, and hurried over. Eirene grabbed his hand without hesitation, pulling him forward until he stood in line. The librarian gave him a brief, unimpressed look before sliding a bundle of books across the counter. Kalen picked them up, the weight grounding him back to the present.
Once all of them—Kalen, Eirene, Lily, Marcus, and Robin—collected their books, they turned to one another. Eirene and Lily both smiled and said their goodbyes.
"See you at lunch, Marcus," Lily added cheerfully.
Together, the two girls walked back toward their house to drop off their books, planning to meet again later in the main hall.
Kalen, however, stood frozen for a moment. A quiet anger stirred inside him as he realized Eirene had forgotten to say goodbye to him. He swallowed his frustration, hiding the ache in his chest, and turned away silently. With Robin at his side, he headed toward his dormitory.