Eilika's heart skipped a beat at his words. The conviction in his voice made it clear, he wasn't just fulfilling a duty anymore. He had found a genuine zeal to move forward, with her by his side.
"You look handsome," she whispered, the admission slipping out before she could catch it.
"Hmm?" Damian paused, the sudden compliment catching him entirely off guard.
"Everyone must be waiting for us," Eilika added quickly, her cheeks flushing as she hurried past him toward the dining hall.
Damian stood in the corridor for a moment, blinking in the silence she left behind. "She only noticed today?" he murmured to himself as confusion and wounded pride crossed his face. "What kind of delayed compliment was that?"
Shaking his head, a faint smirk tugging at his lips, he smoothed his blazer and followed her toward the sound of breakfast chatter.
