The academy's east wing was quiet by design.
No lectures.
No sparring.
Just long stretches of sunlit marble, ivy-choked arches, and the scent of parchment drifting like incense from the Rosemire Athenaeum — a private section of the library used mostly by those who read for joy, not assignment.
Naturally, I made it my domain.
System Notice: Raelar – Still Focused on Combat Training.
Nia – Schedule Updated: Library, Third Hour, Daily
Emotional Status: Cautiously Open
Good.
That meant I had room to move.
Scene: Theo's Subtle Stage
I arrived early. Sat under a golden-limbed tree just outside the Rosemire reading alcove. A single table, two chairs, a soft wind brushing past the glass-paneled walls.
On the table, a book.
"Myths of the Shattered War: Moral Dissonance in Heroic Archetypes."
Had I read it? No.
Did I intend to?
Absolutely not.
But Nia had read it three times — I knew that much.
So I waited. Crossed one leg, traced my fingers along the book's spine with theatrical laziness.
And when she arrived, arms full of texts like a fleeing squirrel, I didn't wave.
I didn't call her name.
I just turned the page — and muttered loud enough for her to hear:
"…This writer has no idea what he's doing with divine morality…"
She froze.
Then stared.
Then blinked.
"…y-you're… reading that?"
I looked up like I'd only just noticed her.
"Oh. Hello, Nia."
Her expression flickered like candlelight.
"I-I-I thought… n-no one r-reads that here…"
"Well, I'm trying," I said smoothly. "But honestly, it's not clicking. The author keeps mixing sacrificial ideals with vengeance codes. Any suggestions?"
Her mouth fell open.
I saw it. The war inside her.
Half of her wanted to bolt. The other half... the half that longed to matter, to speak, to be asked something real — that half won.
She stepped forward slowly.
"…i-it's… the w-way he frames… paradox morality…"
I tilted my head. "Paradox morality?"
Her hands curled around her book strap like she was holding a blade. But she kept going.
"…wh-when heroes d-do… morally c-conflicting t-things… b-but s-still g-get framed as… r-right…"
I smiled, genuinely this time.
"I knew I asked the right person."
Her breath hitched.
And she sat. Not in her usual far-away corner.
But in the other chair.
Across from me.
System Notification: Emotional Proximity Milestone Achieved – "Seated Trust"
Affection Level: 31% – Increasing Slowly
Raelar: Still Training. Still Blind.
Across the garden wall, two students whispered under a carved statue of Saint Velryn.
"…Did you hear? The Duskblood heir's been reading with someone every day."
"Wait, him? Since when does he read?"
"Some commoner girl. Quiet one. Name starts with N or something."
"Ugh. Is he doing charity now?"
"No. He... he's being nice."
System Prompt: Passive Disruption Unlocked
Raelar's Reputation Buffer – Slightly Eroded
Effect: Public Attention Beginning to Shift
Scene: In the Training Yard
Raelar slammed his fists into a practice dummy, sweat glistening over his shoulders. Lightning sparked from his knuckles, frost crackled behind his boots.
Still sharp. Still focused.
Still alone.
Nia hadn't shown up to watch him today. Or yesterday.
He noticed. Barely.
But the thought stuck in the back of his mind like a splinter he couldn't name.
Back at the Library – Afternoon Fades
We kept reading.
Or rather, I pretended to read while she quietly explained paradox frameworks using hero myths and emotional dissonance like she was writing her own philosophy treatise.
She was brilliant when she wasn't terrified.
I nodded along, giving her the occasional thoughtful look, letting her feel heard.
Let them speak long enough, and they hand you the keys to their world.
"…I-I… um… I… h-hope I'm n-not b-boring you…"
I closed the book softly.
"Nia," I said with full gravity, "you may be the most insightful person I've spoken to since I arrived here."
Her eyes widened. She blinked.
And then — almost invisibly — she smiled.
A real smile.
System Notification: Trust Upgraded – "Safe Presence" Tag Acquired
Affection: 41%
New Status: Raelar – No Suspicion. Emotional Dependency Formation Not Detected.
Final Scene – Theo's Inner Monologue (Nightfall)
Back in my room, I leaned against the window ledge, watching the academy torches flicker across the grass below.
No blood was spilled today.
No grand declarations.
No drama.
Just a kind word.
A moment of peace.
And one small thread… wound tighter.
The hero fights with strength. But the villain?
The villain wins with silence.
I smiled.
"Let's see how long your story holds, Raelar."