The Ainolin Festival was over, and Carillian Academy had returned to its normal routine. Quite some time had passed since the Kamov Mountain incident. The search-and-rescue teams had already combed through basically every place they still could, and the casualty list had more or less been fully tallied—despite the fact that they still hadn’t found any concrete, definitive proof.

After all, in a catastrophe of that scale, “status unknown” and “missing” basically meant dead.

Early that morning—the day after the Ainolin Festival—Vinny was seriously conflicted on the way to class. He had no idea what he was supposed to say to Aesphyra, or how he was supposed to face her. The moment he recalled what had happened between them yesterday, Vinny became thoroughly unwilling to see Aesphyra.

He was probably avoiding it.

And what kind of attitude would Aesphyra even have toward him now...??

With a nervous heart, Vinny walked into the classroom with Shicodale. He didn’t want to be too obvious about anything, so he put on an act—head lowered as he walked, as if he hadn’t seen any of the other classmates inside.

The day before yesterday, he’d still been hoping Aesphyra would talk to him.

But today, he was so awkward he wanted to crawl into a crack in the floor—or just declare himself invisible so Aesphyra couldn’t see him at all.

“Vinny, morning~?”

Even so, what was coming still came. That familiar voice called out to him.

“H-Huh? Morning.” Vinny stopped mid-step. His face stiffened along with his movements, rigid in a way that was almost comical.

When he lifted his eyes, sure enough—there was the silver-haired girl sitting not far away, greeting him.

People always said every day was a brand-new self. Most of the time, it was just something you told yourself to stay motivated—but Aesphyra seemed to embody it. It was as if she refreshed her state every single day, giving off a completely different feeling from the day before, making it impossible not to stay “newly” aware of her at all times.

After you’d seen enough beautiful women, you were supposed to get used to it, build up resistance.

Clearly, that didn’t apply to Aesphyra.

She proved that when someone’s looks reached a certain level, they could genuinely deliver freshness and a new angle of beauty every second of every minute. Just one night apart, and it felt like the “Aesphyra” in his mind had gotten her beauty updated again.

So Aesphyra looks this good from this angle, too? 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

No—wait, no, no! What kind of reaction was that?? Why was that his first thought?? That was way too weird.

Vinny blanked for a second before he snapped back. He hurriedly looked away, forcing himself to act like nothing was different from usual, and walked past the silver-haired girl’s side.

“Last night’s chocolate—how did it taste~?”

That little interruption should’ve ended there, but in the instant Vinny passed her, Aesphyra hooked her enticing lips into a smile and spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear.

“Uh...” Vinny paused, didn’t answer, and walked on in silence. Even without a reply, his expression explained everything.

Aesphyra lifted a strand of hair beside her ear, let out a soft laugh so faint it was almost imperceptible, as if there was nothing left that needed to be said.

The first class was a cultural studies class. With Isatia’s tutoring support, Vinny’s cultural studies had improved very noticeably compared to last semester—at the very least, he could fully understand the lesson now.

Near the end of class, before dismissal, the teacher reminded everyone that it was almost the end of term. Don’t go crazy playing during the Ainolin Festival and forget to study, then bomb the finals—only to end up retaking exams or even repeating a year.

The next class was combat training. After everyone changed in the locker room, they headed to the Training Field.

To be honest, Vinny kept feeling like something was off this morning. There always seemed to be a gaze staring at him, but whenever he turned around, he didn’t see anyone.

Weird. Did he not sleep well last night, and now his nerves were just hypersensitive?

The feeling sat strangely in his chest, but Vinny didn’t think too much about it.

Soon, the female combat instructor arrived and organized warm-ups and training. Compared to other final exams, the combat training final was much simpler: you fought other people, and you were scored based on the professionalism you displayed during the match. It was somewhat similar to a practical battle—except it was weapon combat without magic.

As for combat training exams, Vinny was never nervous.

Sure, he hadn’t studied any systematic swordsmanship or marksmanship, and he didn’t have some family heirloom trump card tucked away. But after so many life-and-death fights, he’d forged a kind of gun technique that was purely for real combat—plain, unadorned, and effective.

Close-quarters fighting built up from raw experience.

Not pretty, not the kind of thing that belonged on a grand stage—but practical.

After two consecutive combat training periods, class ended. Vinny changed back into his clothes and was about to go find Shicodale so they could head home to eat. But as he passed a patch of shrubs, a small hand reached out from the bushes and gestured at him—come over here.

“Huh? What is this?” Vinny stared, confused. Anyone would find that weird.

“It’s me! You—come over here first.”

That familiar voice came from inside the brush, soft and delicate, carrying a trace of that utterly natural, bratty little-girl vibe.

“...Oh, it’s you.” The moment Vinny recognized who it was, his expression collapsed. He turned around and tried to leave.

“W-Wait, wait! Don’t go—ugh, I’m begging you, okay??” The voice came again from the bushes.

“I’m saying it now—if you’re here to ask me that ridiculous question again, I can’t answer it. Goodbye.”

“It’s not that question. It’s—It’s...” The voice faltered, unable to continue. Vinny felt a surge of annoyance, glanced around, and finally stepped into the bushes.

“Spit it out. What is it? Hurry up.” Vinny crossed his arms. “This Young Master is hungry. I’m in a rush to eat.”

Once he was inside, unsurprisingly, he saw the blonde elf with eyes like olivine. Vinny kept his arms folded, waiting for her to continue.

“If you’ve got nothing to say, I’m leaving.”

Milian hesitated and stayed silent for so long that Vinny’s patience wore thin.

“Wait!” Milian finally spoke. “About what happened that day... I’m sorry.”

“Oh.” Vinny flicked Milian a glance. “So you don’t need me to keep explaining it to you, right?”

“Uh... Yeah. Sorry.” Milian kept her head down, making it impossible to see her expression.

Vinny couldn’t be bothered to care how she’d finally figured out you didn’t just have a kid by “falling for someone.” If she understood now, he could finally get rid of this trouble.

“It’s nothing.” Vinny looked up into the shade cast by the big tree overhead. “But I suggest you learn some basic common sense in the future. You’ll end up needing it sooner or later.”

“That day, I asked Professor Dusksea. She said... my situation won’t... uh... won’t do that.”

As Milian spoke, her face turned bright red, and she couldn’t even finish her own sentence.

“Professor Dusksea? Who’s Professor Dusksea?” Vinny frowned. It sounded familiar, but... was there really someone named Dusksea...??

“She’s an alchemy professor named Sif Dusksea. You don’t know her? I remember you have alchemy as an elective, don’t you?” Milian said.

“Oh—Professor Sif.” Vinny recalled it. Milian was talking about the alchemy professor at Carillian Academy, Sif Dusksea.

She was the alchemy instructor for Vinny and Aesphyra. A female sea elf. After a year of classes, Vinny had to admit her professional level was extremely solid. When it came to studying alchemy, elves had an obvious advantage: long lifespans and excellent memory. It was a huge, natural edge.

“Still,” Vinny glanced at Milian, “you actually know Professor Sif?”

“Why wouldn’t I? Professor Sif’s older sister used to be my sister’s guard. Of course I know her.” Milian puffed her cheeks.

Fair enough. They were both elves—it wasn’t strange.

“Either way, that works out. I take alchemy as an elective, and Professor Sif is the one teaching me.” Vinny said. “We’ve never called her by her family name, so when you said ‘Dusksea,’ I didn’t react right away.”

Thinking about it, it made sense. Outside of elves, no other race used natural scenery as a family name.

For example, the Golden Elf royal family name was Chenfen, the Moon Elf royal family name was Moonveil, and other elf family names were more mixed—but basically all of them used natural features as family names, passed down through the ages.

“So you really are Professor Sif’s student.”

“So what?” Vinny asked.

“Nothing, it’s just...” Milian looked away slightly. “That day, Professor Sif explained it to me.”

“If you understand, then that’s enough.” Vinny pushed off the tree, about to leave. “I’m going to eat. See you.”

“Wait! This princess hasn’t told you to go yet!”

“And what now?” Vinny looked at Milian like she was strange. “If that’s settled, why did you call me over? Don’t tell me you dragged me here for some petty nonsense.”

“It’s—It’s...” Milian hesitated, then suddenly asked, “Do you remember something you once said?”

“Me? Said something?” Vinny looked baffled. “What did I say? Don’t talk in riddles. Be specific. I’ve said a lot of things to you—how would I know which one you mean?”

“It was... last semester’s combat training.” Milian intertwined her fingers. “We fought once. You remember, right?”

“Uh...” Vinny didn’t know what to say. “Why are you bringing that up all of a sudden?”

That had been awkward, after all—even if it was true that he’d beaten Milian.

Well. It should count as a win.

Back then, he hadn’t had a choice. He’d gotten into Carillian Academy only because Vanessa had basically carried him in. At the start, Vinny’s own strength had been very weak. If he hadn’t used a little trick, then even without magic—just fighting head-on—he never would’ve beaten Milian.

Of course, things were different now. A year had passed. He definitely wouldn’t need to fight that way anymore.

In a one-on-one match with no restraints, Vinny was confident he could defeat Milian without using a Blessing Angel form.

“I’m not trying to bring up that fight,” Milian shook her head. “But I remember you said something then.”

“You said something? Me? What did I say?” Vinny truly couldn’t remember.

“After that match, I came to question you, and you asked me... whether you should take responsibility for me.” Milian looked away as she said it.

“...” Vinny went silent on the spot. “Wait. Did I even say that??”

“You did! You definitely did!” Milian insisted. “No one heard it at the time, but you absolutely did! I remember it clearly.”

“Alright, alright.” Vinny sighed. “If we’re talking memory, nobody beats you elves. But Milian—if you actually consider our relationship and the context back then, you know that was just me snapping back at you, right??”

“You took it seriously?”

“Then... what about your relationship with Isatia?”

“Milian, if I’m remembering right, you should know I have an engagement contract that was set by the previous generation with Isatia.” Vinny looked at Milian like she was even stranger. “But that contract is basically void. Isatia and I are just very normal friends.”

“Really?”

“I’m asking you—why do you even care about this?” Vinny rubbed at the bridge of his nose. “Professor Sif already explained things to you. Can you stop drilling into it and spiraling, already?”

“...But.” Milian fell silent for a moment before she continued, “I don’t know whether I am, or not.”

“Whether you are what?” Vinny asked.

“I want to try.” Milian’s voice grew small. “I want to try my feelings. That’s why I came to find you today.”

“Can you take this?”

Milian spoke as she held out a dazzling olive-colored bead toward Vinny.

“...What is that?” Vinny stared at the emerald-like bead resting quietly in Milian’s palm. It felt strangely uncanny.

Normal gemstones looked like something was flowing inside them only when the sunlight hit at a certain angle.

But this one was different.

Even without changing the angle, he could see the green within it slowly flowing—like it had some kind of life of its own.

“This is... my Soul-Heart.” Milian seemed hesitant, but she explained anyway.

“Your Soul-Heart?” Vinny frowned. “What is that supposed to be?”

“It’s something only elves have,” Milian said. “Every elf is born with it. Usually it’s one with us—but we can also externalize it, like this.”

“And?” Vinny’s expression turned even more peculiar.

“It’s an elf’s lifeline. It contains that elf’s entire life force and soul. If the elf dies, the Soul-Heart dims.”

“If it falls into someone else’s hands, then that elf’s lifeline is in that person’s grasp.”

“In the elf race, there’s a tradition... we give our Soul-Heart to a partner, to show ‘life entrusted, live and die together.’”

“Are you out of your mind??”

Vinny cursed without even thinking. “Something that important—you just pull it out and show it to people, tell them what it does in case they didn’t know, and then say you’re going to give it to them?”

“You really aren’t afraid some rotten bastard gets ideas??” Vinny’s voice sharpened. “Are you trying to die faster or what??”

“Put it away. Now.” Vinny looked at Milian with open disgust. “Milian, you’re so stupid it makes this Young Master want to disown you.”

“This Young Master has zero interest in your ‘lifeline.’ What’s wrong with you? Why would you show people something like that?”