"Eek!" A loud crash behind me startled me, breaking my concentration as I glanced down from where I was floating. I had been holding a lantern in my hands, carefully trying to hang it from the chains suspended above us. My heart skipped a beat as I turned to see what had happened.
Below me, Navee stood frozen, staring up at me with wide, startled eyes. "Navee? Are you okay?" I called out as I quickly drifted down to her, my movement hurried yet controlled. She let out a small squeak, her face flushed with embarrassment as I reached out to help her up.
"You were floating! I thought I saw a ghost!" Navee exclaimed, her voice trembling slightly as her hand flew to her chest. Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, and I could tell the scare had genuinely startled her.
"Oh… haha," I chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of my neck. "I was just trying to hang the lantern up there," I explained awkwardly, gesturing to the spot I'd been aiming for. Navee's cheeks turned a deeper shade of red as she looked away.
"You didn't have to do that! I don't come here at night, so it's kind of pointless," she replied quickly, her tone flustered but firm.
"Well, it's better to have lights here," I said, tapping my chin thoughtfully. "Especially if you ever plan to write or work late." My words seemed to catch her off guard, and she made a small sound in the back of her throat, somewhere between a gasp and a hiccup.
"That–that is so thoughtful of you, Sir Gray," she said softly, her voice tinged with emotion. I noticed her eyes glistening again, though this time it was from gratitude.
Sir Gray? Really? I thought we'd moved past that formality.
"I'm sure you want to see Arcus again," she said suddenly, her tone shifting as she moved toward something covered by a large piece of fabric in the corner of the greenhouse. With a quick tug, she pulled the fabric aside, revealing a stunning display—a large flower that shimmered as though it were made of pure light.
"Wow…" The word escaped my lips in awe as I stepped closer to the glowing plant. The sight was mesmerizing, each petal catching and refracting the light like delicate shards of crystal.
"It's incredible," I said, clapping my hands lightly in admiration. Beside me, Navee let out a proud giggle, her face lighting up with joy.
"Thank you," she said, hugging the flowerpot as if it were a treasure. "Arcus is my pride and joy. It's almost like my child!" she added with a playful huff.
I couldn't help but snort at her enthusiasm. Navee, normally so shy, seemed like a completely different person when she talked about the things she loved. It was fascinating to see her so animated.
As I watched her fuss over the flower, another thought crept into my mind. Where had Silas gone? I hadn't seen him since arriving here.
"Are you thinking about Sir Gael?" Navee's voice broke through my thoughts, catching me off guard. I turned to look at her, dumbfounded. She had a broom in her hands, the very one she'd handed me earlier to help clean the greenhouse.
"W-What?" I stammered, my confusion spilling into my voice. How could she possibly know what I was thinking? Could she read minds?
Navee gave me a knowing smile, holding a small potted sunflower in her hands. "It's written all over your face. Whenever you're deep in thought like that, it's almost always about Sir Gael," she said matter-of-factly, humming as she turned back to her flowers.
"You figured that out so quickly?" I asked, genuinely impressed. Navee giggled, clearly amused by my reaction.
"But speaking of Silas," I began, shifting the conversation, "do you know where he is? I've been here for a few hours now, and… well…" My eyes scanned the greenhouse. Navee and I had been so focused on cleaning that I hadn't even thought to ask about him earlier. The place was spotless now, thanks mostly to Navee's hard work.
I, on the other hand, had been a bit of a disaster. Not only had I nearly dropped several potted plants, but when I tried to sweep the petals out of the greenhouse, a sudden gust of wind had blown them all back inside. Navee had laughed it off, but I still felt a little guilty for making her do most of the work.
"I think we've done enough for today!" Navee said cheerfully, brushing her hands together as if to signal the end of our task. "We can take a break now. Sir Gael is probably on the fourth floor, leading the magic defense class."
"Defense class?" I echoed, tilting my head in curiosity.
Navee nodded enthusiastically. "The Gael family is known for their mastery of defense magic—better than anyone else! And of course, Sir Gael is no exception. In fact, he was one of the first to create an entirely new defensive spell!" Her voice brimmed with pride as she spoke of him. Clearly, Silas had left quite the impression on her.
I let out an audible gasp, my admiration for Silas only growing. I had known he was talented, but to hear that he had invented a spell? That was incredible.
"He never told me that," I muttered, feeling a pang of disappointment. Why hadn't he shared something so amazing with me?
Navee placed a comforting hand on my shoulder and smiled. "Sir Gael is very humble. He doesn't like to show off, so it's understandable," she said gently.
"The Magic Defence class usually has two rooms, both located on the fourth floor. He must be using one of those rooms—it's either Room 102 or 121," she finally says, her voice decisive. I nod in acknowledgment, mulling over her words.
"I'll try to find him, though I don't want to intrude," I say, scratching the back of my neck awkwardly.
"Nonsense!" Navee exclaims, her tone cheerful and encouraging. "I doubt you'd be intruding, Sir Gael! In fact, I believe he'll appreciate you being there!" She pumps her fists enthusiastically, her excitement contagious.
"Really? I didn't think he'd care much…" I trail off, my tone uncertain.
Navee pouts, crossing her arms in mock defiance. "Aren't you Sir Gael's friend? Of course he cares about his friends!" she huffs, her expression almost reprimanding. I can't help but chuckle at her dramatic reaction.
"Alright, alright, I suppose you're right," I say with a soft smile. "Well, I'd better go now. I'll see you later, Navee." I raise my hand in a casual wave as I turn to leave.
Navee blushes slightly but waves back with her usual bright smile. "See you later, Sebastian!" she calls out before suddenly stopping me in my tracks. "Oh, wait!"
I turn back, puzzled, as she rushes to the side, picking up a small potted sunflower resting on the windowsill. She hurries over and hands it to me with both hands.
"A sunflower?" I ask, tilting my head as I take the pot from her.
"Yes! For you," she says with a grin, her enthusiasm shining through.
I hesitate, wincing slightly. While I do like flowers, I've never been particularly skilled at caring for them. The thought of this beautiful sunflower withering under my watch makes me uneasy.
"Navee… I'm not exactly great at taking care of flowers," I admit sheepishly, my voice dropping as I rub the back of my neck again. Navee lets out an exaggerated "Oh!" in response, which only makes my embarrassment worse.
"Don't say 'Oh' like that…" I mutter, feeling the heat rise to my face. Navee giggles, clearly amused by my discomfort.
"It's just that you often say you like flowers, so I assumed you'd cared for one before," she says, her tone teasing but lighthearted.
"Not really… I don't think I'd do a good job with this," I confess with a sigh, gently holding the pot out to return it. But Navee shakes her head, refusing to take it back.
"No, no, it's fine! I've cast a time spell on it to stop it from growing. Technically, it can act as a decoration. Most mages do this with their plants—it's a bit of a cheat, I suppose. It keeps them alive but frozen in time, so they don't rot, grow, or need any care." She explains this casually, but her tone shifts slightly as she continues. "Though, some people have called it inhumane… but I do it because I'm too busy to tend to my plants properly."
"So… in short, it doesn't need to be taken care of?" I ask, raising an eyebrow.
Navee nods, smiling. "Not necessarily, yes. It'll stay just like that for a few months. When the spell wears off, you can always give it back to me, and I'll recast the spell if you need me to." She giggles softly before adding, "Though, I hope by then, you'll be able to care for it yourself instead of relying on magic to freeze its time."
Her words strike a chord, and I feel my face heat up again. I clutch the pot to my chest, suddenly feeling a strange sense of attachment to the sunflower. For some reason, it reminds me of someone—someone important.
"Th-thanks," I manage to stammer, my voice barely above a whisper.
Navee beams at me, her smile brighter than ever.
—
Silas wasn't in Room 102. The room was empty, and I was pretty sure Room 121 was on the other side of the building. So, once again, I set off, walking to the far end of the school, a potted sunflower in hand.
Room 108…
Room 110…
Room 114…
The sheer number of classrooms here never fails to baffle me. How many are there in total? From the outside, Zaudseth Academy looks enormous—imposing, almost—and I'd guess there are easily over 300 rooms.
That number sends a chill down my spine. Just thinking about the number of students that must fill these halls on a daily basis is overwhelming. Hundreds, maybe thousands of them...
As I pass a few classrooms, I hear faint murmurs of students talking and the occasional rustle of papers. Most of the halls are eerily quiet since everyone else seems to be in class, focused on their studies. My footsteps echo faintly, filling the void.
Still, I catch a few students glancing my way, their curious eyes lingering as they walk by. They probably think I look strange—suspicious even. I mean, I am wandering the halls with my hood pulled up, carrying a potted sunflower.
It's not exactly normal.
"Oh? Vampire weirdo?"
The familiar, grating voice makes my shoulders tense. I turn, already knowing who it is.
"Rosemary…" I mutter, not even bothering to hide the annoyance in my tone or my expression.
She's standing there with her usual smirk, a mix of amusement and mischief shining in her sharp eyes.
"Hey, hey! Why do you always look so annoyed when you see me?" she asks, feigning offense as she reaches out to tug at my hair.
I glare at her, swatting her hand away. "You're attacking me on school property. You should be thrown back to the pound."
"Haha!? What am I, a dog?" she snaps back, laughing.
We both pause at that, but before I can say anything else, Rosemary lets out a low, guttural growl—an inhuman one.
"That's kind of offensive," she says, though I can't help but snort at her reaction.
"You pulled my hair first," I retort.
"What are you, five?"
She rolls her eyes, clicking her tongue in irritation. "Trust me. It's boredom that's making me do this."
"How extreme," I reply dryly, glaring at her. My lips must have curled into a smirk because she growled again, clearly offended.
This dog.
"Are you trying to find Silas or something?" she asks suddenly, her tone more curious now.
I narrow my eyes at her, reluctant to give her the satisfaction of a response. But after a moment, I sigh. "I was… heading to Room 121."
I glance toward the door at the end of the hallway. From here, I can hear faint laughter drifting through the cracks. It's easy to picture Silas on the other side, probably giving one of his engaging lectures. He has that kind of energy—magnetic, charming, impossible to ignore.
"What's wrong? Regretting coming here?" Rosemary whispers into my ear, her voice low and cutting. I flinch at her sudden proximity, stepping away instinctively.
She's smiling again, but this time it's not the amused smirk she wore earlier. No, this one is cruel, sharp, and predatory. It makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. For a moment, she looks like she could tear my head off without a second thought.
"Until now… I'm still wondering—why you?" she muses, tapping her lip thoughtfully as if the question genuinely puzzles her.
I groan in exasperation. "That again? What is with you and asking that?"
Seriously, what is wrong with this woman? Is she mentally unhinged? Or are all people in the magic industry just… weird? And worse—will I eventually end up like her? A weirdo?
"You don't understand, do you?" she says, her voice dropping to something quieter—almost dangerous. "I was once like you. Silas found me, saved me, and told me he'd help me."
Her grin widens, revealing sharp teeth. Her eyes glint with something dark, something unspoken.
"Silas… and you were close?" I ask, surprised. Somehow, my heart skips a beat at the thought.
Rosemary tilts her head, studying me with a strange intensity.
"Didn't you know?" she says, her voice dripping with mockery. "We were almost more than that."
Her smirk grows crueler, and I feel my stomach churn.