Chapter 47: Since when?

Liora froze.

Then her eyes became huge. "But... there is no first-year slot on the committee!"

"Well," Celeste said, turning back to the courtyard, "there’s a first time for everything."

"You’re— you’re serious!?" Liora squeaked. "Celeste, the DC has never recruited a first year. Not once in the academy’s entire history!"

Her shock was fully justified.

The disciplinary committee only accepted students from the second year onward.

Only because it was practical.

Evaluations took years to identify who had the strength, discipline, and mana control to restrain their peers if needed.

True prodigies only began to noticeably outpace their generation in their second year at the earliest, often later.

Even Liora and Celeste were exceptions.

Celeste, because her lineage and talent were nothing short of extraordinary.

Liora, because her magic, despite her constant chatter, was frighteningly effective.

But a first year? That was unheard of.

"I’m done babysitting the first years," Celeste said plainly. "If someone else can take the responsibility, all the better."

Liora blinked again... then slowly, slowly, the realization dawned.

"...Oh," she whispered. "That’s the real reason."

Celeste nodded once.

"So this... uhmm... Elion, he’ll be the one taking our place? Doing the rounds on the first-year floor?"

"Exactly." Celeste’s lips curved into a small, rare smile. "We won’t be able to escape the duty entirely, but... this should give me some breathing room."

Liora’s jaw dropped. "That’s genius."

Celeste hummed in agreement, already turning away.

"And," Liora added with a grin, "he was pretty cute—"

Celeste’s glare snapped back instantly.

Liora shut her mouth with a squeak.

"First," Celeste said, almost to herself, "we should do a background check on him."

Liora tilted her head. "Background check?"

"Yes." Celeste’s tone was calm, clinical. "If a first year like that has gone unnoticed for six months, then either he’s been hiding... or someone’s been blind."

She tapped a finger thoughtfully against the stone.

"I want to know where this gem has been hiding since enrollment."

Liora let out a low whistle. "Oho... a gem, she says. High praise from the Ice Queen herself."

Celeste ignored that completely. "We’ll check his admission record, class performance, combat scores, if there are any. Sparring logs. Incident reports."

"So, all of it," Liora summarized.

"All of it," Celeste confirmed. "If he’s going to wear a disciplinary badge, I’m not letting some unstable, glory-chasing idiot near it. I want to know exactly what kind of person he is."

Liora grinned, eyes sparkling with mischief. "And if his record is clean?"

Celeste’s lips quirked just barely. "Then we’ll clean the rest of the floor with him."

Liora snorted. "Poor first years. They have no idea a monster just woke up among them."

Celeste straightened, cloak fluttering slightly as the wind picked up. "Come on. Let’s report this, file the recommendation, and dig into his file."

Liora bounced after her. "Haaah, paperwork. The true final boss of the academy."

Celeste’s eyes glinted faintly. "If he’s as promising as he looks, it’ll be worth it."

...

Aria stumbled after Elion, her fingers tightening instinctively around his as he pulled her through the thinning crowd, down a quieter walkway shaded by overhanging trees.

Her footsteps were light, hurried to keep up with his pace, but she didn’t once try to pull away.

Only when they were far enough, hidden from prying eyes, from the echo of the courtyard, did Elion finally stop.

His hand slipped from her wrist, and Aria immediately hugged her arm close to her chest, cheeks flushed, chest rising and falling a touch too fast.

"Elion..." she tried again, voice trembling with something she clearly didn’t know how to name. "You—what you did back there—"

He turned toward her, the adrenaline still humming under his skin, but his expression was soft.

Almost gentle.

"Are you alright?" he asked first.

That question seemed to break whatever dam was holding her composure together.

"Am I—?!" Her voice cracked, frustration and fear tangled together. "Of course I’m not alright! You—those guys—they were attacking you! And then William—he was going to use a spell, he could’ve—he could’ve—"

She swallowed hard, tears clinging to the corners of her lashes but refusing to fall.

"You could’ve been hurt."

Elion blinked at her, caught off guard. "I didn’t get touched."

"That’s not the point!" Aria burst out, stepping forward. "Elion, you could’ve died!"

He stared at her in silence.

She was shaking, only slightly, but enough for him to see.

Enough for him to feel something tighten in his chest.

He exhaled slowly. "Aria... I didn’t do anything insane. I just defended myself."

"You fought six people."

"They attacked first."

"And then you punched William so hard he flew into a pond!"

"Well, he was about to slice me with wind mana."

"You don’t get it! Do you!?"

"Get what?"

She stared at him.

He stared back.

A tiny, incredulous laugh fell out of her, the kind of laugh that only happens when someone is too stressed to know what else to do.

"Elion... since when are you strong?"

He opened his mouth.

Closed it.

And then shrugged helplessly. "Since today, apparently."

Aria pressed her hand over her mouth, trying and failing to fully hide her astonishment. "You’re serious?"

"I will explain... someday, maybe..."

The wind rustled the leaves above them, and for a moment, neither spoke.

Aria’s breathing steadied slightly, though her eyes never left him, still searching his face as if trying to piece together a new picture from familiar fragments.

Finally, a small sigh escaped her.

"I’m glad you’re safe."