Nex woke up the next morning feeling tired. He had barely slept—just two hours of restless sleep. His body ached a little, but he pushed himself up and got ready quickly.
When he reached the academy grounds, something felt different. Whispers floated through the hallways. Everyone seemed to know about the incident with Professor Alan.
Walking toward the cafeteria, Nex spotted Ryan waiting by the entrance of his class. The boy smiled brightly and held out a small piece of vanilla chocolate.
"Here," Ryan said softly, "for good luck."
Nex took it and smiled back. Seeing Ryan's hopeful energy made him feel a little calmer.
After dropping Ryan off at his class, Nex went to his own classroom. The usual crowd was already inside. As they settled, the door opened and Professor Irene Colt entered. Her black hair and gray eyes carried a serious look today.
"Good morning, everyone," she said clearly. "Due to the recent security breach, the academy has increased protection."
She paused, letting the news sink in.
"Twenty A-rank guards have been assigned to the academy grounds to keep everyone safe."
Murmurs spread through the room.
"Additionally," Irene continued, "fifteen A-rank guards will join the team for the upcoming mission. And there will be three S-rank protectors, including myself, watching over you all."
Her voice was calm but firm.
Nex listened quietly, feeling the weight of the new reality. The academy was stronger now—but so were the dangers.
____________________________________
The bell rang early, signaling the end of classes for the day. Because of the recent incident, the academy had decided on a half-day schedule to let students rest and prepare.
Students flooded into the cafeteria, voices loud and bright, trying to shake off the weight of the morning's news.
Nex and Ryan found a quiet corner table near the window. Ryan's face lit up as he sank into the seat beside Nex, pulling out a small chocolate bar from his pocket and offering half.
Nex smiled softly and accepted it.
Across the room, the main cast noticed them sitting together. Ruby nudged Marcus, who nodded, and Kaelith caught Aria's eye. "Look at them," he said quietly. "They actually seem… friendly."
Lucas grinned. "Well, Ryan's a good kid. And Nex—he's got that calm kind of presence."
The group decided to join them, weaving through the crowd until they were all seated at Nex's table.
Sylphie Harper, with her golden hair shining in the afternoon light, smiled warmly. "Hey, mind if we join?"
Eren Crost, the nerdy-looking boy with glasses, gave a small wave. "We've been meaning to talk to you both."
Rose, the violet-haired girl with sharp eyes and a quick smile, sat down next to Eren.
Ryan's eyes sparkled with excitement as he looked around the table. "You all really came over?"
Ruby chuckled. "Of course. Ryan's part of the crew now."
Kaelith smirked. "And Nex here? We're interested in seeing what Elaria's brother can do."
Nex nodded calmly but smiled softly. "Thanks. I appreciate that."
Sylphie leaned in a bit, her voice lowering slightly. "So, with the mission coming up in a few days, we should start planning what supplies to get. Potions, mana kits, and maybe some armor upgrades."
Eren pulled out a small tablet and flipped through notes. "I heard the academy is offering discounts for first-years on protective combat uniform and,suits It's for the coronation ceremony, but they are now selling it at discounted rates,
Rose added, "We should definitely take advantage. We don't want to be caught unprepared."
Ryan's face grew serious. "I want to help too. I know I'm not as strong as you guys, but I want to protect my friends."
Nex reached out and placed a reassuring hand on Ryan's shoulder. "You already do."
The group spent the next hour discussing supplies, training plans, and the mission's dangers. Laughter bubbled up as they teased each other about who would be the most likely to get hurt first, but beneath it was a growing sense of unity.
As the afternoon sunlight streamed through the cafeteria windows, Nex felt a rare warmth. For the first time since arriving, he wasn't just Elaria's brother or the quiet new guy—he was part of something.
____________________________________
After spending a good while chatting in the cafeteria, the group agreed that they should head out together later to buy supplies. Ruby glanced toward the second-year cabins. "We should ask Elaria and Liora to come too. They'd probably have good advice on what to buy."
Sylphie grinned. "And it'll be fun to shop together."
The main cast made their way to the second-year area of the academy, where the cabins were arranged in neat rows surrounded by flower gardens. The warm breeze carried the sound of laughter and chatter—many second-year students were out in front of their cabins.
Elaria Calder and Liora Silvercrest were sitting at a shaded table outside their shared cabin, sipping tea and going through some mission documents. As usual, a few second-year boys lingered nearby, casually trying to impress them with stories about their last training session or the monsters they'd "almost defeated."
Elaria's cool blue eyes glanced briefly at the posturing boys, clearly unimpressed, before her gaze landed on Ruby and the others approaching.
"Shopping trip?" she asked, setting her teacup down.
"Yeah," Lucas said with his usual cheerful grin. "We're heading to the market later to get potions, kits, and suits for the coronation. Thought you two might want to join."
Liora tilted her head, a faint smile forming. "Sounds like a good idea."
Elaria's expression shifted slightly as she asked, "Will Nex be there?"
Kaelith nodded. "Of course. He's part of the group now."
A small, almost unnoticeable warmth touched Elaria's voice. "Then I'll come."
"Same here," Liora added.
Ruby pulled out her watch. "Perfect. Be ready by 5 p.m. We'll meet at the south gate."
As they turned to leave, the second-year boys nearby exchanged looks of disappointment, muttering under their breath as their attempts at getting Elaria and Liora's attention were clearly overshadowed by the simple mention of Nex.