The sun hung high in the sky, casting golden light over the academy grounds.
The classes had ended, and students were scattered across the open courtyards, some heading to the library, others toward the training grounds.
Kael walked with a steady pace, weaving through the students.
His mind was set—he had to tell Lumia about her ruined notebook.
As he approached, he spotted her standing near the hallway’s with her friends.
"Lumia," Kael called out.
She turned at the sound of his voice, her violet eyes meeting his. "Yes?"
Meanwhile, behind a cluster of bushes a few meters away, three figures were crouched in a poorly executed attempt at hiding.
"Move over, idiot," Marcus whispered, elbowing Ren in the ribs.
"Shut up. I can’t see," Ren grumbled, shifting slightly.
Shirone sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "This is so dumb…"
Back in the hallway, Kael hesitated before speaking. His fingers tightened slightly.
"Your… notebook," he finally said.
Lumia tilted her head. "Yes, they were nice, right? Did you have any trouble? I made them really well."
Kael opened his mouth, but before he could explain—
Click.
A soft chime echoed from his pocket.
He pulled out his phone and saw a message from Serena.
[Kael, you have someone waiting at the academy gate.]
Kael frowned. Who could it be this time?
Sliding his phone back into his pocket, he glanced at Lumia. "I have to go. Someone’s waiting for me."
She didn’t follow, only watching as he disappeared down the hallway.
Kael stepped outside.
The guard glanced at him and gestured toward a figure standing just outside the academy walls.
A woman with black and golden eyes stood there, the moment she saw him—
She moved.
Before Kael could react, she jumped at him, arms wrapping tightly around his shoulders.
"What the fu—?!" Kael’s body tensed as he instinctively pushed her back.
She only grinned. "Oh! My dear~"
Kael’s breath hitched. That voice.
Those eyes. That energy.
"Mom?"
Sephina smirked, placing her hands on her hips. "Rude. -1 marks for that tone."
Kael let out a sharp breath.
Beside her stood another woman.
Amelia.
Kael straightened. So she’s here too?
Sephina gave him a once-over, her sharp eyes analyzing him. "You’ve grown stronger. But I see you’ve been up to trouble."
Kael exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "You wouldn’t believe half of it."
She crossed her arms. "Try me."
He hesitated, but there was no avoiding it. "It’s about the portal."
Kael began explaining—about the abyssal bloom, the creatures, the dangers lurking in the shadows.
He left nothing out, his words steady.
Sephina listened, her usual teasing expression replaced by something sharper, more calculating.
"…And that’s everything," Kael finished.
Silence hung between them.
Then Sephina sighed, shaking her head. "You really know how to find trouble, don’t you?"
Kael scoffed. "Not like I go looking for it."
Amelia, who had been quiet all this time, finally spoke. "The Neutral Association is already aware of the portal they told us about it 2 weeks ago."
Sephina nodded.
Kael frowned. "You knew about them?"
Sephina chuckled. "I know a lot of things, my dear son."
"Leave it aside," Amelia said, waving a hand. Then, with a sly grin, she leaned in slightly. "Have you made a girlfriend yet?"
Sephina’s eyes sparkled with curiosity as she looked at Kael expectantly.
Kael sighed. "No."
Amelia lit up.
"I knew it!" She let out a laugh, nudging Sephina.
Sephina chuckled. "Well, I suppose that’s to be expected. You were always more focused on other things."
Kael rolled his eyes. "Can we move on?"
"Fine, fine," Sephina said.
Kael folded his arms. "Why are you here?"
Sephina smiled. "It’s a secret—for tomorrow."
Kael frowned. "That’s not an answer."
"You’ll know when the time comes," she said, turning on her heel. "For now—shopping."
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Kael blinked. "Wait. What?"
"You heard her," Amelia said with a smirk. "We’re taking you shopping."
Kael groaned. "Why?"
"Because we want to," Sephina answered simply, already walking ahead.
Kael rubbed his temple but followed.
There was no arguing against Sephina when she had already decided on something.
...
Meanwhile…
Three figures crouched together, whispering.
Shirone, Marcus, and Ren had been tailing Kael ever since he met the two mysterious women.
Ren adjusted the angle of his phone, making sure the pictures were clear. "Who are they? They’re way too beautiful to be random strangers."
Marcus squinted. "One of them called him dear… and the other is teasing him like they’ve known him forever."
Shirone, his face blank, muttered, "Are we sure Kael isn’t some secret noble prince?"
Ren scrolled through the photos. "This is insane. How does he know so many powerful and beautiful women? What kind of luck is this?"
Marcus nodded. "I feel like we’ve been living life wrong."
Shirone sighed. "We definitely have been."
---
Kael stood near the racks of clothing, arms crossed, watching as Sephina twirled in front of a mirror, holding up yet another dress against herself.
"How does this look on me?" she asked, turning to him with a smile.
Kael barely glanced up. "Nice," he said half-heartedly.
Sephina narrowed her eyes at his lack of enthusiasm, then grinned mischievously. "Let’s try this one too."
Before Kael could protest, she had already disappeared into the fitting room.
Kael sighed. "Wasn’t she a queen?" he muttered under his breath.
Just as he was about to take a seat, Amelia approached with an armful of clothes.
"Alright, my turn," she said, flashing a grin before heading into another fitting room.
Kael stood there, dumbfounded. He looked around at the piles of clothing, the mirrors, and the attendants fussing over them.
"What the hell…" he muttered to himself. "Wasn’t shopping supposed to be for me?"
----
POV: Lumia
Lumia tapped her finger against her chin, deep in thought.
"You’re right," she said, nodding toward Aveline. "But doesn’t mana energy also depend on the mass and speed of particles of the same amount?"
Aveline tilted her head. "Hmm… yes, that’s true."
Lumia leaned forward slightly. "So what if we increase the speed of the particles while keeping the mass the same? Would the power remain the same, or would it change?"
Aveline hesitated. "I… don’t know."
Lumia’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Let’s test it, then."
Aveline gave her a cautious look. "You do realize that messing with mana flow without proper calculations can be dangerous, right?"
Lumia smirked. "That’s what makes it fun."