Later that day, Jae was sitting with Princess Yuna under the shade of a tall oak tree near the edge of the training field.
The afternoon sun was warm but not harsh, and the breeze rustled the leaves above them in slow waves, scattering soft specks of light over the ground. Jae leaned back on his palms, stretching his legs in front of him, while Yuna sat cross‑legged across from him, idly plucking at the grass with her fingers.
"So you're replacing Byun for the raid?" she asked, tilting her head slightly, her long dark hair sliding forward over one shoulder. Her eyes narrowed with interest, but there was an edge of wistfulness behind them that Jae didn't miss.
"Yeah," Jae said with a small grin. He tried to sound casual, but he couldn't hide the note of excitement in his voice. "Principal Kine said Byun had something important to handle and wouldn't be able to go, so they put me in his spot."
