As she moved past him, a faint current of her mana brushed against his suppressed Aura.
Refined. Elegant.
Even at sixteen… her control already rivaled elite veterans.
She really did reach the highest potential… he
thought quietly. He had known she would. Even in his previous life, her talent had been monstrous. But seeing it like this— Untouched by war. Untainted by loss. It filled him with something painfully close to relief. Good. She deserves
this version of life. Not the one she had before.
Their shoulders nearly brushed as they crossed. For one dangerous instant— Instinct surged. Muscle memory. Years of standing beside her in battle. Protecting her blind spots. Synchronizing movement without words. His body almost turned
toward her automatically. He stopped himself. Forced stillness. She passed him completely. Didn't look back. Didn't hesitate. Didn't care.
But then, She spoke. Without turning. Her voice calm. Smooth. Distant.
"You're staring."
Riven's breath caught. She stopped walking. Still facing away from him.
"Lower-ranked students should learn proper awareness of status differences," she continued.
"Fixating your attention upward without reason is inefficient behavior."
Slowly, she turned her head slightly — enough for him to see one eye watching him from the
corner of her vision.
Uninterested.
Riven felt something twist painfully in his chest. This girl… who once held him while he
wept… Now spoke to him like he was an unnecessary distraction. He lowered his
gaze slightly.
"…My mistake."
His voice was calm. Respectful. Exactly how
a lower-ranked student should respond to someone far above their status. Qiyana studied him for one second longer. Then looked away completely.
"Don't let it happen again."
And continued walking. Her followers moved with her like orbiting stars around a fixed center.
Within seconds, She was gone.
The garden returned to normal. Riven remained standing there. Motionless and silent. His
chest rose slowly… then fell.
"…You're alive."
Barely a whisper. Something warm slid down his cheek before he realized it was a tear.
He wiped it away immediately.
This was to be expected.
Necessary.
Better this way. If she didn't know him— She couldn't be targeted because of him.
If she stayed distant— She stayed safe. He had promised himself this life would be
different. No attachments that painted targets on backs. No emotional weaknesses enemies
could exploit.
No repeating the past. Even if it meant— Loving her silently from a distance.
Riven resumed walking toward Sector C. Each step steady. But inside…
A storm had begun to rise. Because one truth had just become painfully clear— Fate had given him another chance. But it had not given him her heart. He would have to live in a world where the woman he once died for…
Looked down on him.