The fight was over, but the charged atmosphere in the arena continued. While some of the students had already risen to leave the arena, Corin and Cearen remained seated for a short while. Corin reviewed the techniques that had just been demonstrated in his head, analyzed the movements of Ines and Blues, and tried to imagine how he himself would fare in such a duel.
"You're pretty quiet."
Cearen nudged him lightly with her elbow.
"Did the fight impress you that much?"
Corin was about to give an answer when a calm, clear voice interrupted.
"Cearen, of course I'd find you here.
Corin turned her head and saw a young woman standing near the steps. She was beautiful, in an understated, elegant way. Her long black hair was streaked with deep blue strands that lay over her shoulders in a single braid. Her blue eyes studied him briefly before turning back to Cearen.
Cearen grinned. "Serena! What a surprise. I thought you'd be somewhere right now, working... well, working?"
"I am."
She crossed her arms.
"Nomen is expecting us. You should be getting on your way."
Corin watched their interaction with interest. It was obvious that they knew each other, but their dynamic was different from his previous experience with Cearen. While Cearen often seemed casual and almost playful towards him, his tone towards Serena was a little more respectful, perhaps an indication of her position or simply the nature of their acquaintance.
"All right, all right."
Cearen waved it off before turning to Corin.
"This is Serena Cantara. A... shall we say, old acquaintance."
Serena nodded curtly at Corin.
"You're new here."
He returned her gaze.
"Corin."
"I know." She scrutinized him again, her gaze lingering on his face a moment too long. "You stand out. It is my job to keep an eye on new non affiliated students."
Corin wasn't new to this. His appearance, especially his eyes, had often attracted attention. But it was the way Serena said it that gave him pause. It didn't just sound like a casual observation, but almost like a warning.
Before he could say anything in reply, Cearen sighed dramatically.
"Well, I guess I can't avoid it any longer. Serena, I'll see you in a few minutes."
She nodded, turned and disappeared into the crowd with lithe steps.
Corin looked after her.
"Who's Nomen?"
Cearen grinned.
"Someone i better not piss off."
Corin left the arena through one of the side exits and followed the wide paths lined with ornate lanterns towards the refectory. The academy had a certain grandeur that always reminded him how far removed he was from his old life in the slums. High arches, wide squares, ornate decorations on the facades, everything here looked like it was made for high society.
The canteen was located in its own building, not far from the main building. The large, open-plan building had several levels on which long wooden tables were lined up. The midday sun streamed in through high windows and bathed the room in warm colors. Even from outside, he could hear the muffled babble of voices, a lively chaos of conversations, clattering cutlery and moving chairs.
When he entered, he immediately felt the many eyes on him. It was nothing obvious, no direct stares, but he could recognize the furtive sidelong glances, the quiet whispering from some groups.
His appearance made him conspicuous, no question. But here, surrounded by students from prestigious families, his lack of a crest or distinguishing mark was almost more suspicious.
He ignored it. He had gotten out of the habit of caring about looks early on. Still he would hav to deal with it eventually. Corin moved through the canteen, picked up a tray and followed the line of students taking their meals. The selection was impressive, far more luxurious than anything he knew from his past. Meat, vegetables, freshly baked bread, soups, even exotic fruits. It was an absurd notion that these students took such meals for granted.
With a plate he looked for a seat. The groupings were obvious. Large tables with students from influential families, smaller groups of well-known friends. But there were also loners, students who did not fit into any of these groups.
Finally, he decided to take a seat at a side table, away from the largest groups. As he began to eat, he observed the surroundings. Some of the students near him were engaged in animated conversations about the exhibition match. Others were laughing at private jokes or discussing their course choices. But then he felt it again, a gaze that lingered on him a little too long.
As he looked up, his eyes met those of another student a few tables away. It was a young man with golden blond hair and cool, sharp features. His gaze was not hostile, but not friendly either, rather scrutinizing, weighing things up. Next to him sat other students, presumably members of the same noble family or at least his social circle.Corin held his gaze for a moment, then turned back to his food.
The message was clear: he was being watched.
Corin leaned back slightly and looked at the seething refectory around him. Cearen and especially Viviana had warned him, but the extent of it still surprised him. He had imagined that he would be able to stay under the radar for the first few days at least, but instead he was already being watched. His presence was attracting attention and it was only a matter of time before someone decided to confront him. The nobels would want to test him.
His gaze wandered to the groups of students who had gathered at their tables. The nobility was a web of alliances, rivalries and unspoken rules. And he was at the very edge of this system. No affiliation, no coat of arms, no family to publicly support him. For most people here, that must have seemed like a provocation.
But he had no reason to be intimidated by stares.
His plan was clear: learn. As much as possible, as quickly as possible. As long as he built up knowledge and improved his skills, it didn't matter what the others thought. He would just have to leave an impression.
He would start with path lore. If there was one thing he had understood in the past few days, it was that the paths determined everything in this world. His Blessings were tied to a path, as were the power structures of this society. Without a deep knowledge of the Paths, he would never understand what to expect, or what to prepare for.
From there, he could see further. Combat training was unavoidable, as was studying the Blessings. He needed to solidify his foundations before venturing into deeper topics.
As he was organizing these thoughts, he felt a gaze on him again. His Blessing seemed to make it really easy for him to notice. This time, however, it was not a scrutinizing or appraising gaze, but one full of curiosity.
He raised his head.
Just a few tables away sat a young woman with long, silver hair that fell in soft waves over her shoulders with whatt seemd like a black tie in the form of a butterfly. Her eyes were a deep blue, almost luminous, and she scrutinized him with open interest. Unlike the other students around her, she didn't seem dismissive or condescending, more intrigued.
Corin held her gaze for a moment, but she showed no signs of turning away.
'Who is she? And why is looking at me like that?'
Feeling a bit uncomfortable, he decided to leave and head back to the dorms.