It was late at night. In a common freshman dormitory room in the girls' dormitory area of Glory Cael Magic Academy, the steam hadn't fully dissipated, and the air still carried the faint, unique scent of a young woman's room.
Soft magic wall lamps cast a warm, yellow glow throughout the room.
Silvia had just finished bathing. She sat on the edge of her single bed by the window, wearing only a thin cotton nightgown.
The nightgown was simple in style, with a round neck and short sleeves, reaching her knees. The soft fabric clung to her body, outlining the budding curves of a young woman.
Damp from the hot water, her exposed skin—her slender neck, rounded shoulders, and gracefully sculpted arms and calves—glowed with a healthy, alluring pink, like a ripe peach ready to burst with juice at the slightest touch.
A few wet pink strands of hair clung to her smooth temples and cheeks, tiny droplets of water still clinging to the ends, slowly trickling down.
She wore no shoes or socks, her delicate feet bare against the cool, clean wooden floor.
Her toes curled slightly from the cold floor, the skin on her instep so fair it was almost translucent, revealing faint blue veins beneath. Her ankles were dainty, and the arch of her foot was gracefully curved.
Droplets of water slid down her calves, past her delicate ankles, finally gathering at her heels and dripping onto the floor, leaving small, dark circular marks.
She was slightly turned to the side, one hand unconsciously twisting the hem of her nightgown, the other propped on the edge of the bed. Her gaze was unfocused, staring ahead, the light from the wall lamp reflected in her pink eyes, which now seemed somewhat vacant, having lost their usual purity and brightness.
Her beautiful face, flushed from the bath, showed no signs of relaxation or contentment; instead, it was shadowed by a faint gloom.
The reason was simple.
That afternoon, she had visited her friend Victoria, who was still recovering from her injuries at the Academy Affiliated Hospital.
During their chat, Victoria casually mentioned that the night before last, Senior Greg had quietly visited her in the ward again to check on her recovery.
This casual mention, however, was like a stone tossed into a calm lake, sending ripples of unrest through Silvia's heart.
Ever since they returned from the dungeon together a few days ago and parted ways at the entrance, she hadn't seen Senior Greg again.
She had thought that after experiencing the dangers of the deep layers of the dungeon together, fighting side-by-side, and even saving three upperclassmen and upperwomen, their relationship should be closer than that of ordinary senior and junior students. At the very least... it shouldn't be so distant that they couldn't even meet.
Yet the reality was, Senior Greg hadn't proactively sought her out even once.
Instead, without her knowledge, he had once again visited Victoria alone.
This differential treatment was like a tiny thorn, silently embedding itself in Silvia's heart.
It wasn't sharp, but it continuously brought a subtle, sour pang, leaving her in a downcast and muddled state of mind since the afternoon.
"Why... isn't Senior Greg coming to see me?"
"Does he think... there's nothing for us to talk about?"
"Or does he still see me as just a junior student who needs looking after, while Victoria is the more important friend?"
Of course, Silvia's rational mind was also trying to make excuses for Greg.
She told herself that it was probably normal for Senior Greg not to seek her out.
They were, after all, just ordinary senior and junior students, and they hadn't known each other for long.
He had no obligation, nor any reason, to specifically care about her.
His visit to the injured Victoria might simply be out of guilt for his previous actions, which was perfectly reasonable.
"But..."
Another voice in her heart weakly countered.
"But... I want to talk to Senior Greg too."
"I want to know how he's been doing in the dungeon recently, and if there's anything else I can help him with..."
She even mustered her courage several times, wondering if she should proactively go to the dungeon to "accidentally" run into Senior Greg, or simply go in and look for him.
But each time the thought arose, it was followed by immense hesitation and retreat.
"What reason would I have to go find him?"
"To say I just want to chat?"
"That sounds too strange... Senior Greg would definitely find me annoying, wouldn't he?"
"Besides, Senior Greg always seems so busy, constantly working hard on conquering the dungeon."
"If I go over unannounced, wouldn't I be disturbing him and delaying his important work?"
All these concerns intertwined, preventing her from taking that step.
She could only suppress this inexplicable longing and urge to get closer deep within her heart, turning it into a barely audible sigh as she sat alone by the window, and the lingering conflict and melancholy etched between her brows.
"Why... have I been involuntarily thinking about Senior Greg so much lately?" Silvia murmured to herself, her voice full of confusion and self-reflection.
With a hint of vexation, she cupped her burning cheeks with both hands, then propped her elbows on the windowsill, resting her chin as her pink eyes stared blankly out the window.
In the night sky, a round, silver-plate moon hung high, its clear light showering down, plating the outlines of the academy buildings with a cold, silver edge.
The moonlight was beautiful, clear and full, but reflected in Silvia's eyes, it only made her feel its chill, its... loneliness.
Just then—
"BOOM!!!"
A muffled yet incredibly penetrating explosion suddenly ripped through the night's tranquility without warning, erupting from somewhere not far from the girls' dormitory area!
The loud bang echoed through the silent campus, even causing the windows of Silvia's dormitory building to subtly vibrate and hum.
"Kyaa!"
"What was that sound?!"
"What's happening?!"
"An explosion?! Where did it explode?!"
The entire girls' dormitory building was instantly alarmed!
Lights flickered on one after another in windows that had previously gone dark, where students were either asleep or quiet.
Startled girls pushed open their windows, poking their heads out, looking around anxiously and curiously in the direction of the explosion, chattering amongst themselves.
In the sky above that direction, faint plumes of thick smoke were rising, appearing strikingly prominent under the moonlight.
During their student years, especially young women at the peak of their curiosity, had a natural enthusiasm for major events happening around them.
Fear was quickly replaced by excitement and investigative curiosity. The dormitory building filled with chattering discussions and guesses, everyone debating what had happened. Was it a laboratory accident?
Or had Demons invaded the academy?
Rate on N.U.
