The academy grounds were bathed in soft golden light.
Sunlight streamed through the high-arched windows of the dormitory halls, spilling warmth onto marble floors and velvet curtains. It was one of those rare mornings when the world felt... peaceful.
The survival trial had ended just a day ago.
And today — the students were free.
No announcements. No sudden drills. No instructors breathing down their necks.
Just blue skies and a promise of rest.
---
Lucien stood by the window of his dorm room, eyes watching birds swirl through the courtyard below.
He didn't smile.
But he didn't frown either.
The silence was calming.
He had removed his academy jacket, letting the breeze ruffle his white undershirt. The usual tension in his shoulders... gone.
Down below, students were moving about.
Laughing.
Playing.
Living.
---
There was a soft knock.
Lucien turned.
The door opened slowly, revealing a bright-eyed girl with braided hair and a mischievous smile.
His youngest sister.
Behind her — Elric, carrying a picnic basket.
"We're going to the lake," his sister chirped, eyes gleaming. "You promised!"
Lucien blinked.
He had. And surprisingly, he didn't mind.
---
The lake behind the academy was clear and shimmering, tucked between gentle hills.
Lucien sat on a grassy patch beneath a tree.
His siblings were splashing in the shallow waters, laughter ringing out like music.
Elric handed him a sandwich and flopped onto the grass beside him.
"You looked like death yesterday," Elric muttered. "Now you look... almost human."
Lucien let out a quiet hum.
Not a laugh.
But close.
---
Later that afternoon, Lucien found himself watching the clouds.
His sister pointed at them excitedly, turning their shapes into silly stories.
"That one's a dragon!"
"That one's you —Tha dragon rider—"
Lucien flicked a blade of grass at her.
She giggled, victorious.
Even the coldest hunter could melt, if only a little.
---
Far from the lake, the instructors had gathered in a shaded staff pavilion.
Selena Vermillion leaned against a wooden post, watching Lucien from afar with a curious expression.
"He's relaxing," she said.
Fenrir Blackmane grinned. "Looks like the wolf cub knows how to nap."
Leon Caelum simply nodded.
"Let him rest. The real war hasn't started."
---
Ignis, meanwhile, had shut himself in.
His room was dark, save for the flicker of aura dancing at his fingertips.
He stood shirtless in front of the mirror, fists clenched.
His pride was bruised.
His aura was unstable.
But his will had never been stronger.
"Next time," he whispered, eyes blazing. "Next time, I won't lose."
---
Back at the lake, the sun was dipping low.
Lucien lay on the grass with both hands behind his head.
His sister had fallen asleep beside him, curled up like a kitten.
Elric was humming a soft tune.
Birds chirped overhead.
For once, no one was trying to kill him.
For once, he wasn't calculating ten moves ahead.
He let himself close his eyes.
And breathe.
Just breathe.
---
That evening, the mess hall buzzed with life.
Students gathered around tables, celebrating their survival.
Plates clinked, jokes flew, and even the stiffest noble boys dared to loosen up.
Lucien entered quietly, taking a seat in the far corner.
Within seconds, eyes turned.
But no one dared approach.
Except her.
Liana von Dragora.
Silver hair cascading, eyes bright.
She sat beside him, uninvited but welcome.
"You looked adorable today," she said.
Lucien raised an eyebrow.
"You were lying in the grass like a lazy cat."
He didn't reply, but she saw the twitch of his lips.
That was enough.
---
Somewhere deep within the academy — below the main building — gears turned.
A surveillance crystal flickered with Lucien's image.
A hooded figure watched silently.
Tapping fingers.
Unblinking eyes.
They had noticed him.
And soon, the Liberation Organization would move.
---
But that was for another day.
For now — the day ended quietly.
Lucien returned to his room, pulling the curtain aside to gaze at the moon.
The air was cool.
Peaceful.
He shut the window, removed his boots, and finally — allowed himself the luxury of sleep.
Tomorrow, the gears of fate would begin spinning again.
But tonight?
Tonight was calm.
And that was enough.