However, Adrian was taken aback when he noticed a peculiar creature with vibrant lilac hair standing near the exit of the arena.
The unexpected sight caused him to abruptly halt in his tracks, his feet frozen to the ground.
She wore a foolishly cheerful smile on her face whilst holding a white towel.
Adrian couldn't fathom why she would be standing there, seemingly waiting for someone.
"Tsk."
Adrian clicked his tongue in annoyance.
'What the hell is that little girl doing here?'
He briefly entertained the idea of simply turning his back and walking away, pretending he hadn't seen her at all.
However, he quickly shook his head, dismissing the thought.
'Nah, maybe she's here for someone else.'
Adrian reasoned, trying to convince himself that her presence had nothing to do with him.
With that thought in mind, Adrian continued on his way.
As Adrian approached her, Leticia couldn't contain her excitement.
Her face lit up with a wide smile, ready to greet him.
However, to her surprise, Adrian walked right past her without even acknowledging her presence.
Leticia's heart sank, a feeling of disappointment washing over her.
Turning her gaze towards Adrian's retreating figure, she watched as he continued to stride forward, showing no signs of stopping or turning back.
Leticia let out a resigned sigh, feeling a mix of confusion and hurt.
She shifted her attention to the towel in her hands, her mind filled with unanswered questions.
Leticia didn't understand, why was it so hard to just get close to him.
'I just wanted to give this towel.'
Leticia sighed for the second time as her frustration mounted, her hopes slowly fading away.
Lifting her head, Leticia blinked several times, trying to process the sight before her.
She couldn't help but wonder if the figure in front of her was truly Adrian.
The boy who had just walked past her without a word.
As the girl remained silent and continued to gawk at him, Adrian asked curtly.
"What?"
Unbeknownst to Leticia, a small, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corner of her mouth.
She had no idea why, but at that moment, she felt a glimmer of happiness.
Summoning her courage, Leticia extended the towel towards Adrian, offering it to him with a hopeful expression.
Yet, he coldly stared at it, completely ignoring her gesture.
His indifference stung, but Leticia refused to let it deter her.
Disregarding her reaction, Adrian retrieved a small red velvet box from his Magical Sphere and placed it on the towel she held.
"Take this as a replacement for the hairpin that I broke on Syna."
Without waiting for her response, he abruptly turned his back and started to walk away.
However, upon opening the box, Leticia couldn't help but voice her disappointment.
"This is not a ring."
Adrian halted his steps, scoffing in disbelief at her complaint.
'Why does it seem like this imp's audacity only worsens with each encounter?'
Adrian veered around and confronted Leticia, who was still staring at the necklace inside the red velvet box, and spat his mind.
"Return it instantly."
If she didn't want the replacement, then he would simply take it back.
Unfazed by Adrian's angry tone and stern expression, Leticia immediately hid the box behind her back and asked confidently.
"Would you consider changing it into a ring?"
However, Adrian's response was resolute.
"No."
Leticia pouted, her disappointment palpable.
She reluctantly placed the box into her Magical Sphere, her voice laced with a hint of resignation.
"Fine. Then I'll just keep it."
Disappointment laced her voice.
Adrian was utterly speechless right now, and as a thought kicked in, he stared directly into her eyes and voiced it.
"Do you grasp the situation we're in? We belong to opposing factions. We can't be together. Furthermore, I don't even like you."
At this point, Adrian didn't care if his words hurt her.
All he wanted was to bring her back to reality, to awaken her from the delusion she seemed to be living in.
He hoped that his blunt honesty would finally make her see the impossibility of their situation and put an end to any lingering feelings she might have for him.
Gathering his composure, Adrian observed the little girl in front of him, expecting a response to his harsh words.
However, instead of reacting emotionally, she simply stared at him with a dazed expression, which only served to grate on his already frayed nerves.
Just as he was about to say something else, Leticia cut in, her voice filled with genuine confusion.
"Why do you sound like you think that I am in love with you, Ian?"
"..."
Adrian was taken aback, his mouth falling shut as he processed her words.
At that moment, he realized the mistake he made.
Leticia never confessed her feelings to him, so why had he assumed that she was in love with him?
Was it because of the way she treated him?
But what if her actions were simply a reflection of her personality and not indicative of romantic feelings?
Adrian's self-awareness hit him like a ton of bricks.
'Fuck.'
Adrian cursed inwardly, berating himself for his arrogance and presumptions.
How could he have been so full of himself?
"Pfft."
Suddenly, a chuckle interrupted his thoughts.
Adrian glanced towards the voice, only to discover her laughing uncontrollably.
Managing to compose herself, Leticia wiped away a tear of laughter.
"Ian, you should see your surprised face in the mirror, it's absolutely hilarious."
"..."
Adrian stared at her with indifference, his expression inscrutable.
Without uttering a word, he turned around and started walking away.
As he walked away, Leticia's laughter ceased and her expression turned somber.
"..."
It was a lie to say that she wasn't hurt by his harsh words, but she was determined not to give up on making him fall for her.
At least… not yet.
Upon realizing his figure got further away, Leticia immediately exclaimed.
"Ah, wait!"
She swiftly ran to catch up and positioned herself next to Adrian.
—Tap —Tap —Tap
The sound of their footsteps echoed through the empty hallway, amplifying the silence that seemed to choke Leticia.
Desperate to break the tension, she mustered the courage to pose a question.
"The Lore's Passage Banquet... are you planning to attend?"
"Yeah."
The Lore's Passage Banquet was a highly anticipated occasion, akin to a prom night in the modern age.
"So, who's your partner?"
Her eyes searched his face for any hint or indication.
"I don't have it."
He had made up his mind to attend the banquet, but he hadn't given any thought to finding a partner for the event.
His plan was to show up and return to his dorm after the graduation ceremony concluded.
"Why?"
Leticia pressed on, her voice tinged with confusion.
However, Adrian just shrugged nonchalantly, refusing to give her an answer.
"But it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, you should enjoy it."
Adrian's thoughts raced as he considered her words.
She was right; he had never experienced a night prom in his previous life and the idea of recreating that experience in this new world intrigued him.
Hmm…
He pondered the possibility of asking Sylvina or Rhea to accompany him.
However, a sudden realization struck him like a bolt of lightning.
'The Lore's Passage Banquet is held a month after the arena fight exam ends.'
Since the Academy break was scheduled to take place two weeks later, wouldn't that mean that Sylvina and Rhea had already returned to their respective Kingdom?
Adrian abruptly halted his steps, his mind racing to find a solution.
Considering his attractive appearance, he could easily approach any girl at random and invite her to the banquet.
However, the thought of holding a stranger's hand made him feel nauseated.
Dismissing the idea with a shake of his head, Adrian concluded that escorting a stranger was undoubtedly a big no-no.
Adrian turned to the girl next to him and she was looking at him with confusion.
As the boy in front of her didn't say a word, Leticia asked.
"Is something wrong?"
Fixing his eyes on her, Adrian answered it with a question.
"Is this the reason why you're here?"
Confused, Leticia furrowed her brow, trying to comprehend his question.
"What do you mean? I'm here to give you a towel."
She lifted the towel towards him as evidence that her arrival here was devoid of any ulterior motive.
Of course, this was a made-up lie.
After a brief silence, Adrian finally voiced his mind.
"You will go with me to the banquet."
"...?"
Leticia's confusion deepened, leaving her dumbfounded by his sudden declaration.
"Why does it sound more like an order than an invitation?"
"Are you declining it?"
Leticia shook her head and quickly retorted.
"No! It's not like that!"
"So what?"
"What I'm about to say is... It's not free! If you'd like me to accompany you, you'll need to pay!"
Her words held a hint of playfulness, but there was also a deeper meaning behind them.
Leticia just realized that every time she helped him, Adrian would reciprocate.
This made her think that perhaps he was someone who detested being indebted to others.
Her proposition was a way for her to test his character and prove her theory.
"How much do you need?"
However, Leticia shook her head.
"It's not about money. How about we go on a d—I mean... the plaza?"
Adrian gazed at the girl in front of him, their eyes locked in a moment of understanding.
"...fine. That's doable."
Still, Adrian made a mental note to inform Andarc about this to avoid any misunderstandings.
"I'll inform you of the date."
"I understand."
Leticia nodded, a mixture of surprise and joy gracing her features.
She never expected Adrian to agree to her seemingly silly request.
The corners of her lips tugged into a jubilant smile as warmth spread through her heart.
This was the day they would become closer, and Leticia eagerly awaited its arrival.
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