Despite the exam having ended almost an hour ago, there were still many people pouring out of the stadium gates. The crowd had thinned from its peak, but clusters of students and visiting family still remained outside, chatting excitedly about the exam, school life, and many other small details. The sky had deepened to a pale orange, long shadows stretching across the stone.

Standing near a pillar off to the side, Lilia was staring at her phone while grumbling to herself.

"Uh, what do you mean the transfer station is experiencing technical difficulties? Don’t they know I have places to be."

She tapped the screen again, hoping it would fix but nothing changed. With a defeated sigh, she shoved the device into her pocket and looked up. She would have to transfer to a little further from home and take a taxi back if it doesn’t fix by the time she’s ready to leave.

Just then, she noticed Lake approaching. His black hair was messier than usual—the kind of disheveled that came from actual exertion rather than neglect. One of his friends followed a half-step behind. A girl with sharp, amber eyes and an expression that seemed to be working through something private.

Lilia’s face lit up. Without a care for anyone watching, she strutted forward and threw herself at him, arms wrapping tight around his chest.

"You were amazing out there!"

The first words that came out of her mouth were praise. Loud and genuine.

"How did you even get so strong? I feel like it was less than half a year ago that you were still training for the entrance exam." She pulled back just enough to look up at his face, searching for some visible sign of the change.

"It just sort of happened."

Lake replied nonchalantly as he rolled his eyes. He reached up and pressed a finger firmly against her forehead, pushing her back to arm’s length with practiced ease.

"Urgh... no fun at all."

Lilia pouted, rubbing the spot on her forehead as if he’d actually hurt her. Then her eyes happened to land on the girl standing next to him. Kate Blackheart. She’d seen her exceptional performance in the final battle.

"You also performed well out there." Lilia smiled warmly as she called out to Kate.

"Thank you. Though, I’m nothing compared to your brother..."

Kate smiled back, but her voice seemed to weaken at the mention of the exam. The words came out thinner than she probably intended.

"Come on." Lake’s voice cut in. "We still have to go get your suitcase from my room."

"Hmph." Lilia crossed her arms, tilting her chin up. "You sound like you’re in a rush to get rid of me. I came all this way to watch you, you know."

"Nonsense."

" ’Nonsense,’ he says." Lilia shook her head dramatically. "No ’thanks for coming, sis.’ No ’I’m happy to see you.’ Just ’nonsense’ and a finger to the forehead."

Lake got behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders, gently pushing her forward. "You know I’m happy to see you."

For some reason, Lake decided it was better not to mention the fact that they spent the past two nights together.

"Do I? Do I really?"

"Yes."

Lilia snorted but let herself be guided, falling into step as they walked toward the dorms. The path wound between clusters of old oak trees, their leaves rustling in the evening breeze. Other students passed them in small groups, their conversations fading in and out like radio static.

After a few steps, Lilia shifted to walk beside Kate, leaving Lake to trail slightly behind. She glanced at the other girl with open curiosity.

"So, Kate, right? I didn’t get much chance to talk to you before." Lilia’s voice was light, conversational. "I wonder what your relationship is with my brother?"

Her blunt words left Kate momentarily stunned. She blinked, mouth opening slightly before closing again. Behind them, Lake frowned.

"Sis..."

"What?" Lilia glanced back at him with an innocent smile. "I’m just curious. It’s not often you get close to people~"

Lake’s mouth closed in response, unable to deny her claim, his eyelid twitching ever so slightly in response.

Kate took a breath. "...We’re just friends." She replied softly after regaining her composure. Her eyes stayed fixed on the path ahead.

"Is that so?" Lilia tilted her head. "How did you two get to know each other?"

"We met during the entrance exam." Lake answered from behind them. His voice had a distant quality, like he was pulling the memory from somewhere far away. "Since then, we’ve been through a lot together and naturally got closer."

Lilia seemed intrigued by his wording. She glanced between them with renewed interest. "It almost sounds like you two get up to a lot of trouble when you say it like that."

"You have no idea." Lake absentmindedly muttered.

Lilia giggled—a bright, genuine sound. Then her gaze settled back on Kate, something warmer in her expression. "But I should really thank you. It’s not easy putting up with my brother’s personality, is it?"

Kate returned her gaze. The awkward smile on her face twitched, caught between politeness and honesty. She held it for a long moment before finally letting out a small breath.

"You have no idea..."

Lilia’s giggle turned into a full laugh. "Hehe, that’s why I’m glad to know he has you—and the other students as well."

She paused mid-step. Her eyes grew distant as she looked up at the canopy of leaves above them, the orange light filtering through in scattered patches. Lake and Kate slowed, waiting.

"I always wondered what it would be like for him here," Lilia said, her voice quieter now. "At the academy. Surrounded by people his own age, dealing with things I couldn’t help him with. It’s strange, watching someone grow up from a distance."

She didn’t look back at either of them. Just kept walking, her pace slow and thoughtful.

Kate said nothing. She walked beside Lilia in silence, her expression unreadable.

Behind them, Lake’s footsteps were steady. His gaze lingering on her back but his face betrayed nothing.

In that manner, they soon arrived at the dorm. The building rose before them, grey stone and tall windows reflecting the fading sunlight.

"Lake, can you go get my stuff from inside?"

"Mhm."

Lake stared at Lilia for a moment, as if searching for something in her expression. Then he slowly nodded and headed inside, his figure disappearing through the doorway.

A gentle breeze stirred the leaves overhead.

Lilia turned to Kate. Her posture shifted. The playful energy from before was still there, but muted now. Layered with something more serious.

"...Can I ask you something?" Lilia spoke after a long pause.

"Hm? Please, feel free."

"How much do you know about my brother’s nature?"

Kate’s eyes widened slightly. "...Excuse me?"

Lilia smiled at her hesitation. It was a tired smile. An old one. "Don’t worry. Feel free to speak your mind. It’s just a casual question." She held Kate’s gaze steadily. "Since your so close, I just wanted to know what you thought of him. I won’t mind no matter what you say."

Hearing Lilia’s reassurance, Kate only hesitated for a moment. She looked down at her hands. Then back up at Lilia before the words came out, charged with an emotion that she didn’t intend to use.

"He’s utterly insufferable..."

Her words carried a deep frustration that surprised Lilia greatly.

Lilia’s eyes widened slightly before she burst into laughter. Loud and surprised, echoing off the stone walls of the dormitory. 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"Hahaha, you’re certainly not wrong."

"But," Kate continued to speak, her voice lightening. She looked off toward the path they’d just walked, her expression softening. "He’s not a bad person."

Recalling all her memories with him—the training, cooperation, insane battles and even the strange moments of unexpected connection between their family—Kate couldn’t help but smile. It was a complicated expression. Frustration and something else tangled together.

"He’s just a little psycho."

In the end, that was all she could say.

"Almost heartless, but reliable."

Lilia stared at Kate for a long moment. The breeze picked up again, rustling the leaves. Then she smiled lightly, her expression warm and genuine.

"I’m relieved, then."

***

After sending off Lilia and parting with Kate, Lake returned to his dorm room, utterly exhausted.

Collapsing face first onto the bed, he recalled everything that happened today.

First was the exam, which was already physically taxing on him, followed by Sylph, which drained him mentally, before ending with his sister.

"Sigh..."

Rolling onto his back, Lake stared at the ceiling as his thoughts began to churn.

It had been a little over two months since he entered the academy, but recalling all that had happened since then, he felt his headache worsen.

’The average strength of the students certainly has increased, but it is still inadequate.’

There certainly were some outliers among them, but in order to achieve his goal, he needed them to be a lot stronger.

[Quest Name: Preparations.]

[Quest Description: The system has detected the presence of an unseen disaster hidden within the academy. The system recommends the host to quickly increase his own strength and gather suitable allies to deal with any situation that may appear.]

[Quest Objectives:]

[1) Increase the host’s strength to the level of Martial Grandmaster within a year.]

[2) Gather allies. The more, the better.]

[3) Have at least fifty of your allies reach the level of Martial Master within a year.]

[4) Have at least a hundred of your allies reach the level of High-Rank Martial Warrior within a year.]

[Quest Reward: One High-Tier Role.]

Bringing up the system window, he read through the quest once more.

’An unseen disaster...’

Reading the description, Lake didn’t initially think much of it, yet he was only halfway through the semester, and so many strange and disaster-like events had already occurred.

’If I’m already experiencing this much, just how big of a disaster did the system detect?’

Unable to comprehend it, Lake dismissed the status screen, not dwelling on the matter further. He leaned up from his bed as his eyes turned to his desk.

Despite his exhaustion, he got up and walked over, sitting down as he began to organize his thoughts. He would much rather spend his time planning the students’ new training program than sitting around doing nothing.

Ding!

Just then, a soft notification rang from his wristband. He clicked on it without much thought, but upon seeing the message, a smile couldn’t help but creep up on his face.

....

[Bloom’s Project Report]

[Progress to completion: 100.00%]

[Ready to assist!]