Meanwhile, on the other side of the city—
The sun slowly disappeared behind the mountains, painting the sky in shades of red and orange. Even the clouds had lost their usual white color.
Around the streets, people began closing their shops for the evening.
Caelin walked quietly through the fading light, his hands tucked into his pockets, lost in thought.
Suddenly—
Someone bumped into him from the side.
"Ohhh... sorry," a woman said with a slight bow.
Caelin blinked.
Then he looked closer.
"Miss Alice?"
Alice slowly raised her head. Her eyes widened as she leaned closer, inspecting him.
"Ahhh, it's Caelin," she said, clapping her hands lightly.
"The smart and handsome young man."
Caelin stared at her awkwardly.
"Ah... that's embarrassing. Are you drunk?"
"That's not the right thing to say when you run into a woman," Alice complained.
She suddenly grabbed his cheek and pulled.
"You're supposed to compliment her dress first."
"Ahhh! Ahhh! That hurts! I'm sorry!"
"Hmmm."
She released him with a satisfied grin.
Then she hiccuped.
Caelin stared at her.
"...Definitely drunk."
A moment later, a voice came from behind them.
"Hey! Wait!"
A man stumbled out of a nearby bar.
Caelin glanced toward him.
"Do you know them?"
Alice didn't answer.
Instead, she suddenly took off one of her shoes and shoved it into Caelin's hands.
"Eh?!"
Caelin stared at the shoe.
Alice turned toward him dramatically.
"Caelin."
His expression shifted from confusion to concern.
"Yes?"
"RUN!"
She suddenly burst into laughter and took off running.
Caelin looked between the men chasing them and the drunk teacher running barefoot through the street.
He sighed.
Then ran after her, still holding her shoe.
"Oi! You damn liar!" one of the men shouted behind them.
After running for several minutes, they finally slipped between two buildings and hid.
Caelin carefully peeked around the corner.
Nothing.
He relaxed slightly.
"I think they're gone."
He turned toward Alice.
"But seriously... why were they chasing us?"
Alice was already leaning against the wall with her eyes half closed.
Caelin stared at her.
"Eh? You're joking right now? What if they suddenly show up again?"
He sighed and crouched beside her.
After a moment, he removed his coat and placed it over her shoulders.
Then he carefully helped her onto his back.
They continued through the evening streets.
"Caelin?"
"Yes, Miss Alice?"
"...Am I heavy?"
Caelin was silent for a moment.
"...No. Not at all."
Alice narrowed her eyes.
"You overthink even simple questions."
"Hm?"
She suddenly pointed toward a bench beneath a nearby tree.
"Let's sit there. My back hurts."
Caelin stared at her.
"Eh? That should be my line."
"Haha. You're a man. Complaining isn't allowed."
"That's unfair."
Still complaining, Caelin carefully lowered her onto the bench before sitting beside her.
The evening breeze passed softly between them.
After a while, Alice put her shoes back on.
"Anyway... thank you for today. You really helped me."
"It's fine," Caelin replied.
"But seriously, why were they chasing you?"
Alice laughed quietly.
"You know... when a woman drinks alone at a bar, some men start thinking they can buy her with a few drinks."
She rested her chin against her hand.
"They offer drinks expecting something in return. That's just how a lot of men at bars are."
"Ahhh... I see."
Alice slowly stood.
"Though..."
She smiled mischievously.
"I might not mind if it were someone like you."
She winked.
Caelin stared at her for a moment before quickly looking away.
"Awww, what's with that reaction?" Alice laughed.
"Relax. It's a joke."
"You can't say things like that," Caelin replied immediately.
"You're my teacher."
"And you're my student."
"Besides," Caelin added calmly, "I prefer women who don't drink."
Alice froze dramatically.
"Oh?"
She tilted her head.
"Then maybe I should quit?"
"Eh?!"
Caelin stared at her in shock.
A second later, Alice burst out laughing.
After teasing each other for a little longer, they finally prepared to part ways.
Alice started walking away.
"By the way, Miss Alice."
She glanced back.
"The other day, you said people usually learn their biggest lessons after the damage is already done."
Caelin hesitated.
"...Did something happen to you in the past?"
Alice remained silent for a few seconds.
Then a small smile appeared.
"Hmm... maybe."
She waved lazily without turning around.
"If you're lucky, maybe I'll tell you someday."
She continued walking.
"Get home safely."
Then she added,
"And don't skip class. See ya."
Soon, she disappeared into the evening crowd.
Caelin quietly watched her leave.
Only then did he realize how dark the sky had become.
He hurried home.
---
Meanwhile, Alaric, Lalanat, and Elara said goodbye to Anna and her siblings, promising to meet them again someday if they could.
Soon after, they began heading home.
The streets were already becoming quieter, with shops closing for the night.
"I really hope they can stay at a church or something," Alaric said quietly.
"That way, they wouldn't have to worry so much about what they're going to eat tomorrow. It would probably be warmer too."
"Yeah," Lalanat replied softly.
"I think that would be best for them right now."
Alaric nodded.
"Maybe we should talk to Anna about it next time."
Lalanat smiled lightly.
"Yes. If she agrees, I think it would be good for them too."
Elara walked quietly beside them before finally speaking.
"But churches can't simply accept every child they find. And there are three of them."
Alaric and Lalanat looked at her.
"Sometimes siblings fear separation more than hunger itself," Elara continued.
"So things might not be as simple as they look from the outside."
She glanced toward the empty road ahead.
"Besides... I think that's one of the reasons Anna tries so hard."
"Huh?" Alaric stopped.
"What do you mean?"
Elara stopped as well.
"Isn't it obvious?"
She looked at him.
"I'm talking about how hard she works. Not just for herself, but for her siblings."
Her expression softened.
"It might seem painful to us... but that responsibility might also be the very thing keeping her moving forward."
Alaric lowered his gaze.
"That's cruel," he muttered.
"She's living for other people at such a young age instead of herself."
His voice trembled slightly.
"That's just... wrong."
"Hey."
Elara looked at him gently.
"Don't make that face. We all feel bad for them."
She looked toward the fading sky.
"But some things are simply beyond our control."
Alaric let out a long breath.
"...Still."
He continued walking.
"I want to become someone who can protect people once I become a knight."
Lalanat looked at him.
"I hate standing there and watching people cry without being able to do anything."
Silence followed.
Then Alaric smiled faintly.
"Caelin understood their situation after seeing it only once."
He looked ahead.
"I don't think I'll ever become someone like that."
His smile grew slightly.
"But I still want to help people in my own way."
Lalanat and Elara both laughed softly.
Alaric blinked.
"Eh? I'm being serious here."
"That's exactly why we're laughing," Elara replied.
"Huh?"
"You always say things like that so honestly."
She smiled.
"But unlike most people, you actually try to act on them too."
She turned away.
"And you've already proven that once."
Then she started walking again.
"So relax. We already know you'll become someone capable of helping others."
"Let's go home."
Alaric quietly followed.
He still had questions about what Elara meant.
But she ignored him completely, instead linking her arm with Lalanat's.
---
A few months passed.
The bell rang, and students quickly rushed toward their classrooms and seats before the teacher arrived.
After a while, Alice entered the classroom.
The students immediately stood up as a sign of respect and greeted her with a good morning.
After taking attendance, she began making a few announcements.
Meanwhile, Alaric sat near the window, completely lost in thought.
Do I really need arithmetic to become a knight? he thought while staring outside. I already have a sword. Why would I need to count things? I can already read, write, and count past a hundred. That should be enough already... geez.
Completely uninterested in the lesson, he continued staring outside until class finally ended.
After a while, Alice left the classroom.
"So, Alaric," Graneth called out while leaning against his chair, "I bet you're already excited about The Chosen Class event. Since we're second years now, we'll get to battle against the juniors."
Alaric suddenly snapped back to reality.
"Eh? Battle against juniors?" he asked in confusion. "I thought The Chosen Class was only for first years."
From behind him, Elara let out a quiet sigh.
"Hmmm... you really should pay attention during the morning announcements," she said without even looking at him. "You're probably the person who should be most excited about this."
Lalanat smiled quietly at the two before returning to her notes.
Suddenly, Alaric leaned closer toward her desk.
"Lala, what are you writing?"
Lalanat immediately stiffened.
Eh? Too close...
She instinctively leaned backward slightly.
Meanwhile, Alaric continued staring curiously at the notebook with wide eyes.
For a brief moment, Lalanat found herself staring back at him for a little too long before suddenly panicking.
Without thinking, she threw her pen directly at his face.
"Don't stare so much!" she blurted out nervously.
"Ouch!"
Alaric immediately covered his nose with both hands as tears formed in his eyes from the pain.
The moment they saw it happen, both Graneth and Elara burst into laughter.
Lalanat panicked immediately.
"Ah! I-I'm sorry!"
Meanwhile, Alaric sat there silently while holding his injured nose.
Graneth and Elara were practically holding their stomachs from laughing too hard.
After calming down slightly, Lalanat awkwardly handed her notebook over to Alaric.
Still holding his nose with one hand, Alaric began reading through her notes.
Only one thing immediately caught his attention.
"Woah... second years can participate in The Chosen Class events too?"
His eyes lit up instantly.
"I was starting to get bored, but this fires me up!"
Graneth quickly interrupted him.
"Not exactly," he explained proudly while shrugging. "Second years only participate in the sword duel finals."
Alaric blinked.
"Huh?"
Graneth crossed his arms confidently.
"The first years still handle most of the event themselves. Last year's sword duel participants only support this year's finalists during the final round."
He pointed dramatically.
"So if Class Two's first years don't make it to the finals... you won't get to participate at all."
Alaric immediately froze.
"...Ahhh, then this sucks," he groaned before collapsing face-first onto the table. "I was getting excited for nothing."
Elara looked at him with disbelief.
"What makes you so sure Class Two's first years are going to lose before the finals?" she asked. "You're already acting like you're out."
Alaric lifted his head slightly.
"I mean..." he said confidently, "they're not me."
Elara stared at him for a moment before shaking her head.
"Yeah, keep that confidence. One day it's going to eat you alive."
"Eh?! What's that supposed to mean?" Alaric complained loudly.
Meanwhile, Lalanat quietly tried calming the two down while Graneth continued laughing at all of them.
---
On the other side, Class Seven was in complete chaos.
Students kept talking over one another as questions spread throughout the room.
"Who's going to take Mors' place?"
"What are we supposed to do now?"
"If the first years make it to the finals, who'll support them in the duel?"
Whispers and arguments echoed all around the classroom.
Meanwhile, Caelin quietly leaned toward Simon.
"What happened to Mors?" he asked calmly.
Simon lazily rested his chin against his hand.
"He dropped out."
Caelin immediately kicked the side of Simon's table.
Bang.
"More details."
"Oi!" Simon nearly jumped from his seat. "Seriously? I almost broke my chin."
He quickly fixed his hair while glaring at Caelin dramatically.
Caelin smiled warmly at him.
"Next time, I'll kick the chair directly instead."
Simon stared at him for a moment before sighing.
"...You've gotten scarier lately."
Then he leaned back lazily again.
"Hmmm... from what I heard, he's leaving early to join the military."
Simon shrugged lightly.
"Honestly, it makes sense. He was already one of the strongest students here."
He suddenly began making exaggerated fighting gestures with his hands.
"I mean, the guy even managed to stand toe-to-toe with Kalvein Thandor's son during the finals last year."
Caelin quietly fell into thought.
This feels beyond simple school rules and regulations... something else is going on here.
Meanwhile, the classroom only grew louder.
Students continued arguing over who should take Mors' place in the sword duel event.
"If our first years make it to the finals, second years from Class Seven still have to support them!"
"But who's strong enough?"
"We don't have time to decide this randomly!"
After listening quietly for a while, Caelin suddenly stood up.
The classroom slowly fell silent.
"I know I'm still new to this class," he said calmly, "but how about letting me handle it?"
Immediately, the room exploded with reactions again.
Some students looked relieved.
Others looked uncertain.
A few girls quickly approached him.
"But what if you get hurt?" one of them asked worriedly.
Another student suddenly shouted from the back:
"Caelin should do it!"
Soon, several others began agreeing loudly.
"Yeah!"
"He's definitely strong enough."
"He was top-ranked before changing classes anyway!"
Within moments, the classroom was once again filled with questions, arguments, agreement, and complete chaos.
The last bell rang.
The moment the teacher left the classroom, Caelin immediately rushed out.
"Oi! Where are you going? Our residence is the other way!" Simon shouted from behind him.
Caelin didn't even turn around.
Simon watched him disappear down the hallway before sighing dramatically.
"Hmmm... this guy gets weirder every day."
Then he casually brushed his hair back.
"Ahh... maybe it's my overwhelming aura affecting him."
He proudly nodded to himself.
"Yeah, that must be it."
With that, Simon happily started walking home alone.
Meanwhile, Caelin rushed toward the first-year building.
As he ran through the hallway, several students noticed him.
Some moved aside in confusion while others whispered curiously among themselves.
"Isn't that the second-year from Class Seven?"
"Where's he going?"
Finally, Caelin stopped in front of Class Seven's first-year classroom.
He slowly stepped inside.
The students who were about to leave immediately froze after noticing the unfamiliar face standing at the doorway.
Caelin calmly looked around the room.
"Who's the one participating in the sword duel?" he asked directly.
For a moment, the classroom fell silent.
Then—
"That's me."
A voice came from the far right corner of the room.
"What do you want?"
Caelin's eyes slowly followed the direction of the voice.
The moment he recognized the person speaking, a faint grin appeared on his face.
"I'm Caelin from second-year Class Seven," he introduced himself calmly. "If you don't mind... can I talk with you for a moment?"
The student stared at him for a few seconds before standing up.
"I don't mind."
Soon, the two of them walked out of the classroom together.
---
Meanwhile, on the other side of the academy—
Elara, Lalanat, and Alaric slowly walked home together while Graneth headed off in the opposite direction.
Elara glanced toward Alaric.
"Aren't you at least going to meet the participant from Class Two?" she asked. "You could help him prepare for the finals."
"Nah," Alaric replied casually while walking with his hands behind his head. "If I help him from the beginning, he'll just keep depending on me instead of growing stronger himself."
"Hmmm..."
Elara looked at him for a moment before speaking again.
"I like the way you think," she admitted. "But remember... too much water can kill a plant too."
Alaric blinked in confusion.
"Eh? What does that even mean?"
"It means exactly what it sounds like," Elara replied with a shrug.
"Eh?! That explains nothing!"
Lalanat quietly laughed as the two continued arguing while walking home.
Just like any normal day, their journey back was filled with questions, complaints, teasing, and chaos.
And for the first time in the history of Elysium Academy—
second years would participate in The Chosen Class.