The next day.
Bell woke up, washed, and went to class as usual.
The sunlight in the classroom was piercing.
Sitting in the corner, he flipped through his textbook, but his mind was a complete blank.
Where had Cecilia gone?
Why?
Bell's fingers brushed against the pages, his fingertips feeling cold.
The bell rang, signaling the end of class.
Bell stood up and took a deep breath.
He turned and walked toward the other side of the classroom.
Kyle was leaning over his desk, chatting and laughing loudly with a nearby classmate.
Bell walked up to him and stopped.
“Kyle.”
The red haired youth looked up.
His smile froze on his face.
He looked at Bell, a flash of complex emotion in his eyes.
“Bell?”
Bell's throat felt tight.
“I...”
He paused.
“I'm sorry.”
Kyle froze.
The surrounding students fell silent, their gazes landing on the two of them.
Bell lowered his head.
“What I said that day was too much.”
His voice was soft.
“I shouldn't have treated you like that.”
Kyle was silent for a few seconds.
Then, he scratched his head and laughed.
“It's fine.”
His voice was still loud and cheerful.
“I'm just a commoner anyway. It's normal to be rejected by a young noble master, haha.”
Bell looked up.
Kyle's smile was bright.
But in those eyes, there was a hint of loneliness that couldn't be hidden.
Bell's heart tightened suddenly.
He thought of his past life.
That brother who was always smiling.
The person who, in his most difficult times, would pat his shoulder and say, “It's fine, I'm here.”
The person who, in the end, was tortured to death by his sister just to save him.
Bell's fists clenched.
“After school,” he began.
“I'll treat you to dinner.”
Kyle blinked.
“Huh?”
“Think of it as making amends.”
Bell's voice was serious.
Kyle scratched his head and laughed even louder.
“Alright! Then I won't be polite!”
The surrounding students whispered among themselves.
Bell ignored them.
He turned and walked back to his seat.
The moment he sat down, he closed his eyes.
Throughout the day, Bell sat next to Kyle.
The two talked about various topics.
Magic, the academy, and interesting stories from the Royal Capital.
When Kyle spoke, he was always animated, laughing with exaggeration.
Bell would smile occasionally and nod.
He realized that Kyle was a very good listener.
Despite talking a lot, he never interrupted others.
Though he was boisterous, he always knew how to say something comforting at the right moment.
In Bell's heart, the heavy oppression he had felt for so long loosened slightly.
Kyle also agreed to join Bell's adventuring party.
After school.
The two walked side by side on the academy's stone path.
The setting sun stretched their shadows long.
“Bell!”
A familiar voice came from the side.
Bell turned his head.
Tia was standing not far away, with Antinoia following beside her.
Tia waved at him, a smile on her face.
Bell grabbed Kyle and ran over quickly.
“Senior Tia, Senior Antinoia.”
Kyle stumbled as he was pulled along.
He was a head taller than Bell and had a much sturdier build.
But Bell's strength was surprisingly great.
Kyle was stunned.
This guy... when did he become so strong?
“This is Kyle, Kyle Granger,” Bell introduced.
Kyle quickly gave a bow.
“Hello, Seniors. I'm Bell's friend.”
Tia waved with a smile.
“Hello.”
Antinoia pushed up her glasses and nodded.
“Hello.”
Bell looked at Tia.
“What brings you here, Senior?”
Tia lowered her head, fidgeting with her school uniform.
“Didn't you want to find classmates to form a team?”
Her voice was a bit soft.
“I thought... Antinoia and I could probably do it.”
Bell's eyes lit up.
“Really?!”
He couldn't help but raise his voice.
“That's great!”
With Tia's healing magic, the team would be complete.
Bell took a deep breath, suppressing the excitement in his heart.
“Senior Tia, let me treat you all to dinner.”
“The Shepherd's Rest.”
A famous restaurant in the Royal Capital.
On the wooden sign, a sheep lying in a meadow was carved.
When they pushed the door open, the inside was lively.
Dozens of tables were packed, and the air was filled with the aroma of roasted meat and ale.
The four found a seat by the window.
The waiter handed over the menus.
Bell ordered several signature dishes and a pitcher of juice.
Kyle looked at the prices on the menu and swallowed hard.
“Bell, this... isn't this too expensive?”
Bell shook his head.
“It's fine.”
He paused.
“I'm happy today.”
Kyle scratched his head and smiled.
The food arrived quickly.
Golden roasted lamb chops, tender stewed beef, and a large plate of fresh vegetable salad.
Kyle picked up his knife and fork, cut a piece of lamb chop, and stuffed it into his mouth.
“Delicious!”
His eyes lit up.
Tia also took a bite, a satisfied expression appearing on her face.
“It really is delicious.”
Antinoia cut the beef methodically, her movements as elegant as a noble lady's.
Bell looked at them, a hint of a smile touching the corners of his mouth.
“By the way, Kyle,” Tia suddenly spoke.
“What is your element?”
Kyle swallowed his food.
“Fire element.”
He scratched his head.
“But my mana control isn't very good. I always end up blowing things up everywhere.”
Tia laughed.
“It's okay. You'll get better with more practice.”
Kyle nodded.
“And what about you, Senior Tia?”
“Light element.”
Tia's voice was soft.
“Mainly healing magic.”
Kyle's eyes sparkled.
“Healing magic! That's amazing!”
He turned his head to look at Antinoia.
“And what about Senior Antinoia?”
Antinoia pushed up her glasses.
“Water element.”
She paused.
“I also study some support magic.”
Kyle nodded.
“Then our team is complete!”
He looked at Bell.
“Bell is earth element, I'm fire element, Senior Tia is light element, and Senior Antinoia is water element.”
He counted on his fingers.
“Attack, defense, healing, and support. We have everything!”
Bell smiled.
“Right.”
He raised his glass of juice.
“To our team.”
The other three also raised their glasses.
“To our team.”
The four glasses clinked together in the air.
A crisp sound rang out.
Outside the window, the sun gradually sank.
The sky was dyed an orange red.
The lights in the restaurant flickered on.
The four continued to chat.
Kyle talked about funny stories from his childhood.
Tia shared academy gossip.
Antinoia would occasionally interject a sentence or two; her tone was flat, but her insights were always sharp.
Bell spent most of the time listening.
He would laugh occasionally and nod.
He found that this feeling was very good.
It had been a long time since he felt this way.
No need to be on guard.
No need to pretend.
No need to worry about what would happen in the next second.
Just simply sitting with friends, eating, and chatting.
In Bell's heart, that weight loosened even further.
“Bell,” Tia suddenly said.
Bell looked up.
“Hmm?”
Tia looked at him, her gaze somewhat complex.
“Are you... doing okay lately?”
Bell froze for a moment.
“I'm fine.”
His voice was soft.
“Why do you ask?”
Tia bit her lip.
“I heard... your sister withdrew from school.”
Bell's fingers trembled slightly.
“Yes.”
He lowered his head.
“She has her own things to do.”
Tia opened her mouth as if to say something, but ultimately said nothing.
She just reached out and gently patted Bell's shoulder.
“If you ever need help with anything, you must tell me.”
Bell looked up at her.
Those eyes were full of sincerity.
Bell's throat felt tight.
“Thank you.”
His voice was very soft.
Tia smiled.
“You're welcome.”
She paused.
“We're friends, after all.”
A surge of warmth suddenly rose in Bell's heart.
Friends.
Yes.
They were friends.
After dinner, the four walked out of the restaurant.
Night had fully descended.
The magic street lamps on both sides of the road lit up, emitting a soft glow.
“Then we'll head back first.”
Tia waved.
“See you tomorrow.”
“See you tomorrow.”
Bell and Kyle also waved.
The two walked side by side on the way back to the academy.
Kyle suddenly spoke.
“Bell.”
“Yeah?”
“Today... thank you.”
Kyle's voice was a bit low.
“I'm very happy.”
Bell turned to look at him.
Kyle had a smile on his face.
But in those eyes, there was a hint of moisture.
Bell's heart tightened.
“I'm very happy too.”
His voice was soft.
Kyle laughed even louder.
“That's good then!”
He patted Bell's shoulder.
“From now on, we're brothers!”
Bell froze for a moment.
Then, he also smiled.
“Right.”
His voice was firm.
“Brothers.”
The two continued walking forward.
The night wind blew past, carrying a hint of chill.
But inside Bell's heart, it was warm.
When he returned to the dormitory, Lilian was sitting on the edge of the bed.
When she saw Bell enter, she immediately stood up.
“Master.”
Bell nodded.
“Mhm.”
He looked around.
The room had been cleaned very thoroughly.
The books on the desk were arranged neatly.
The bedsheets had also been changed.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
Bell's voice was soft.
Lilian shook her head.
“It wasn't hard.”
She paused.
“Is Master... very happy today?”
Bell was taken aback.
“Why do you ask?”
Lilian lowered her head.
“Because Master smiled.”
Her voice was very small.
“It's been a long time since I saw Master smile.”
Bell's heart tightened suddenly.
He walked over to Lilian, reached out, and ruffled her hair.
“Yes.”
His voice was soft.
“I'm very happy today.”
Lilian looked up, a glimmer of light flashing in those blood-red eyes.
“That's good.”
Bell smiled.
“Go to sleep.”
Lilian nodded and turned to walk back to her bed.
Bell took off his coat and collapsed onto the bed.
His mind replayed everything that had happened today.
Kyle's smile.
Tia's concern.
Antinoia's calmness.
And that one sentence.
“We're friends, after all.”
Bell closed his eyes.
A hint of a smile touched his lips.
Perhaps...
This life wasn't so bad after all.
Rate on N.U.
