Ethan exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. "No, not mad," he muttered, the corners of his lips twitching upward.
Julia raised an eyebrow. "Oh? No sarcastic comeback? No dramatic sigh of despair? You feeling okay, Mountain Boy?"
Ethan let out a soft chuckle, finally unfolding his arms. "I mean, yeah, it sucks. But if the academy is cracking down this hard, it means they're taking things seriously. And that's… not exactly a bad thing."
Lucas glanced at him, tilting his head. "You're actually fine with this?"
Ethan pushed off the wall, rolling his shoulders. "Fine? Not really. But think about it—if clubs are out, then they're gonna push us harder in training instead. No more distractions, no more splitting focus between clubs and coursework." He crossed his arms again, this time with a slight smirk. "I wouldn't be surprised if they ramp up combat drills. Hell, maybe they'll even throw in a field training exercise."
