Upon arriving in class, Liyn was immediately greeted by Myra, who was already sitting at her desk—looking relaxed while reading one of Liyn's books.
"Liyn, you took forever... The average check-up doesn't even take ten minutes," Myra complained, her face scowling. She was indeed in the middle of the attendance list, almost last.
"Sorry, sorry... I had a little issue earlier," Liyn said quickly, then muttered under her breath, 'Though it wasn't really an issue, you know...' A small smile began to appear on her face—a smile she couldn't hide.
Myra, who was observant, immediately noticed the change in her friend's expression. She chuckled, then teased her dramatically.
"Huhu~ a problem... or maybe something else?" Myra leaned in closer, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. 'Hmmm~ I smell romance... Oh Eros~ have you visited my friend?' she said, raising her hands like an actress on a stage.
"What are you talking about... Eros-erosan... I was just having a normal conversation," Liyn replied in a pretentious tone, quickly taking the book from Myra's hands.
"Wait! Don't read that book!" she said in a panicked voice.
"Heh? Why? Sorry... is that something personal?" Myra suddenly felt guilty, looking at her friend in confusion.
Liyn glared at her.
"Do you understand the writing in that book?" she asked quickly.
Myra thought for a moment, then answered honestly, "I don't understand some of it… I can only make out the illustrations in the book, like Syntara in a cloak… like in the fairy tale of the Knight and Athena."
Liyn sighed.
"It's not just a fairy tale... Those books... are my mother's legacy. Secrets passed down to me," she said softly, almost whispering.
Her eyes darted around warily, scanning the area to make sure no one was listening.
"Myra, please... keep whatever you've read or seen in this book a secret. Don't tell anyone, okay?" Liyn pleaded seriously.
Myra nodded, still looking shocked, but didn't have time to say much because Nico's voice called out from the distance.
"Myra Storm!" he called, waving his hand, signaling for her to come forward.
"Alright, wait a moment!" Myra replied in a slightly louder voice to be heard clearly.
She turned to Liyn, her eyes full of promise.
"Liyn, I promise I won't tell anyone. Sorry for reading without permission. I'll go now."
Liyn could only smile slightly, watching Myra's back as she ran toward the front row, carrying a new secret she hadn't expected to be revealed today.
Finally, Liyn decided to continue reading her book while leaning her head against the desk. Tired and comfortable in the classroom's silence, her eyelids began to feel heavy... until, without realizing it, she fell asleep.
In her sleep, Liyn felt warm. She was cradled in her mother's gentle embrace—a figure she longed for deeply. Her mother's hands gently stroked her hair, soothing like a warm hug in the midst of a storm. A soft voice echoed faintly, seeping into her thoughts:
"This... is my life... and your main concern... should be my happiness..."
Liyn's heart felt calm, almost submerged in that peace. But suddenly, the warmth faded. The gentle caress on her hair turned cold—slightly damp, like ice placed on her head. Slowly, a voice called her name.
"Liyn…"
Liyn jolted awake. She opened her eyes slowly, and the first thing she saw was Leith's face—gazing at her gently, with a small smile on his lips. Leith's hand placed a can of drink on her head.
"You're awake, Liyn?" he asked in a calm, caring voice.
Liyn could only stare at him—speechless, captivated by the blue eyes and silver hair of the man before her. "He… is too handsome," she thought to herself. Her heart was racing wildly. She tried to snap out of it. "Come on, Liyn, snap out of it… He's just a teacher… Why am I like this?" she thought frantically.
Leith then took the drink he had placed on Liyn's head earlier and handed it to her.
"Here, drink this. Relax, it's just chocolate."
Liyn accepted it with slightly trembling hands.
"Uh… thank you. But why suddenly, Senpai?" she asked nervously.
"A student gave this to me earlier. I happened to get a lot, so… well, there's no harm in sharing, right?" Leith replied casually.
"Eh? This… was given to Senpai. Is it okay if I drink it?" Liyn asked hesitantly.
"Well, it's already mine, so it's up to me what I do with it. Whether I drink it myself or give it to someone else," Leith said, opening a similar drink for himself. Liyn nodded and opened her drink as well.
"Crack."
The sound of cans opening filled the silence of the classroom. Liyn took a slow sip, then her eyes lit up.
"Wow... this is delicious! It must be expensive, right... Thank you, Senpai!" she said cheerfully, smiling sweetly at Leith.
Leith glanced briefly, then stepped toward the window next to Liyn's desk and opened it slowly. A fresh breeze swept in, gently lifting their hair.
Liyn was stunned. Leith was standing very close—just a few inches away from her. It felt like a dream. "What Myra said... about Eros... could it be true?" she thought, her heart racing again.
The breeze blew gently, carrying the scent of the daytime air. Leith's silver hair danced gently, his blue eyes gazing out the window. In the distance, students could be seen playing ball, and others enjoying lunch in the school garden.
Only then did Liyn realize—it was break time. No wonder the classroom felt so quiet. It was her habit to use the first break for studying and reading, while the second break was for eating and sleeping.
But this time... the break felt different. Warmer. More alive. More... special.
Leith remained standing by the window, his eyes fixed on the field, but his mind seemed to be drifting. Meanwhile, Liyn watched him quietly. It was hard to believe someone could look so calm, as if the outside world had never truly touched him.
Without realizing it, Liyn reached for the book she had been reading earlier—an old book with a faded blue cover, its title barely legible. She stared at it for a moment, then opened it to the last page she had seen.
"Hmm... what's that book?" Leith's voice suddenly broke Liyn's reverie. She turned in surprise, quickly closing the book.
"Ah, it's just... an old book from my mother," she replied nervously.
Leith glanced at the cover. 'Can I take a look?' he asked, his tone flat but somehow softer than usual.
Liyn hesitated for a moment but eventually handed over the book. 'But don't be surprised—the contents are... a bit strange,' she said softly.
Leith flipped through a few pages, raising his eyebrows slightly. "This... this isn't just any book, Liyn. The carvings on this page... are in the ancient language of Syntara. Some of these symbols aren't even taught until the fourth level."
Liyn's eyes widened. "Seriously? I thought this was just a fictional story."
Leith studied each page with a serious expression, then closed the book slowly. "You could say... you're holding a treasure. This book doesn't just tell myths; it also holds the key to ancient knowledge that's been largely forgotten."
"So... this book is important?" Liyn asked, now confused.
"Very important." Leith nodded slowly, then sat down on the bench next to Liyn, something that made her heart nearly stop. "If you're willing, I'd like to study the contents of this book with you."
Liyn stared at him, her eyes widening, her cheeks flushing. "Together…?"
Leith smiled slightly. "You could call this… part of our barter. You teach me about astronomy and science, and I'll help you understand the contents of this book."
Liyn lowered her head, unable to hide her small smile. "Okay… but don't be surprised if I ask a lot of questions too."
"That's exactly what I hope for." Leith leaned back in his chair, looking a little more relaxed than usual. 'You know, I like people who are thirsty for knowledge. And you… are very interesting in that regard.'
Thud.
Those words hit Liyn like a storm. Her face grew even redder, and she quickly looked away, pretending to be busy opening the book. "Interesting... he said I'm interesting? Does he mean... as a student? Or…" her thoughts began to spin.
Meanwhile, Leith smiled faintly—noticing the change in Liyn's face, but choosing to remain silent.
Outside, the wind still blew gently through the open window. And in the nearly empty classroom, two different worlds began to draw closer... slowly but surely.