Elena's face lit up as she bit into the cookie. "It's so good!" she said, her voice full of genuine delight.
I watched her quietly, resting my chin on one hand. There was something oddly peaceful about the way she enjoyed the smallest things—like the world around her slowed down just a little.
Perhaps sensing my gaze, Elena looked up, her eyes darting nervously before meeting mine.
Then, out of nowhere, she spoke.
"Louis, you seem… like an adult."
"…Me?"
I blinked, taken off guard.
'Well, technically, I am an adult.'
All academy students were considered adults by imperial law once they entered. So yes, by definition, she wasn't wrong.
But that wasn't what she meant.
"Really?" I said, tilting my head. "I don't think so."
I've never thought of myself as especially mature. If anything, I make plenty of mistakes—say the wrong things, act on impulse, and sometimes let my emotions get the better of me.
Yet Elena shook her head softly, brushing a few crumbs from her fingers.
