"We can enter at the passageway at the garden," Wads said, tone flat as ever.
"Ah, garden? The famous one at the North Wing?" Liora tilted her head.
"No… the other one."
"What? There are other gardens? I thought that was the only one!" Klyden chimed in, his eyes practically glowing in excitement.
"It's around the end of the South Wing hall. Let's meet there at night."
"Okay okay!! I'm so excited!" Klyden grinned, bouncing slightly on his heels.
"Gotcha," Liora nodded, crossing her arms but clearly intrigued.
"Don't let anyone see you," Wads muttered, already walking away.
————
That night, the halls of the South Wing were silent, lanterns dim, the moonlight slipping in from the windows. Wads walked quietly, his eyes scanning every corner until he spotted two familiar silhouettes.
And then he froze.
Klyden and Liora stood there with handkerchiefs tied awkwardly around their heads like thieves from a cheap play. One knot was too loose, the other too tight—it looked ridiculous.
"…Seriously?" Wads crossed his arms, glaring at them.
"What? This is a disguise!" Liora whispered in a low, dramatic voice.
"Yeah!" Klyden added, crouching down as if that would make him less noticeable. "No one will recognize us like this."
"You two look like a bunch of scarecrows," Wads deadpanned.
"Shhh! Whisper! People might hear us!" Liora scolded in the same 'whisper' that was far too loud.
"If anyone's gonna hear us, it's because of you," Wads muttered, exhaling through his nose.
He walked past them and headed for the far corner, reaching a door that creaked open into a breathtaking sight.
A hidden garden spread out before them. Moonlight illuminated rows of flowers glowing faintly, vines climbing up old stone arches, and a fountain long dried but still beautiful with moss around its edges. The air smelled faintly sweet, the petals reflecting silver under the night sky.
"Woah…" Klyden muttered, lowering his 'disguise' to gape in awe.
"How long have you known this spot?" Liora asked, brushing her fingers over the glowing flowers.
"During our first week here." Wads didn't even look at them, his eyes already scanning the ground. He moved toward the back where trees and thick bushes lined the corner.
He crouched and pressed his palm to the earth. "If you feel an uneven spot… something strange, tell me."
Liora crouched too, eyes sharp. Klyden joined in, patting the ground randomly.
"Uh… how are we supposed to know what 'feels weird'? The whole ground feels weird," Klyden muttered, smacking the dirt with both hands.
"That's because you're slapping it, idiot," Wads said flatly.
"Ohhh, should I lick it instead? That way I'll know?" Klyden grinned.
Liora elbowed him. "Ew, don't. You'll probably get worms."
"Better worms than failing this test," Klyden argued, rubbing his side where she hit him.
"Found it!" Liora suddenly claimed, pointing at a slightly uneven patch.
Wads leaned in, focused, and pressed his magic into the spot. A faint hum sounded, then the earth shifted. Behind the bushes, a hidden passage revealed itself—a staircase leading below.
"Cooool…" Klyden whispered loudly, clapping quietly under his tied-up kerchief.
"Yesss!" Liora's eyes sparkled.
And then—
"What are the three of you doing?"
They froze. No one dared to turn. The familiar voice was calm, but sharp.
Klyden gulped and slowly twisted his head. Liora followed. Then Wads.
Reiyell stood a few paces away, arms crossed, her gaze shifting from their guilty faces to the staircase yawning behind them.
"Hehe… greetings… Your Highness…" Liora said nervously.
The next moment, they were all sitting in a straight line on the ground, like children awaiting punishment.
"Okay—" Reiyell began, but before she could finish, Liora and Klyden pointed at Wads.
"He's the mastermind."
"He told us he found it."
Wads' brow twitched at their betrayal. He pursed his lips, saying nothing.
Both Liora and Klyden tried to whistle innocently.
Reiyell, instead of scolding, chuckled softly. "I won't tell a soul. I was just about to ask if I could see what was inside that passage."
Immediately, Liora and Klyden's faces lit up again.
"Seriously…" Wads muttered, brushing dirt from his pants. "Let's head down."
The staircase led them into an ancient chamber. Old stone walls, shelves covered in dust, papers scattered across the tables, and faded banners draped on the walls. The place smelled of age and secrets.
"WOOOAAAH!" Klyden exclaimed, rushing forward like a child. He sneezed and coughed immediately, waving at the dust cloud he stirred up.
Reiyell's eyes swept the room carefully, her fingers brushing across the dusty table.
"If this is going to be our secret spot, we should clean it," Liora declared, hands firm on her hips.
"Ugh… but it'll take foreverrrr," Klyden groaned, throwing himself onto an old couch.
"But imagine how it'll look once it's clean!" Liora argued, crouching and shaking his shoulder.
"Hmm… you're right." Klyden grinned and raised his hand. "Teamwork pact?"
Liora slapped his hand with a laugh. "Teamwork pact."
Now both of them were clapping like idiots.
Reiyell tilted her head, faintly amused, before turning to Wads. "How did you find this place?"
Wads froze, his eyes darting away. "…I got locked in the library last night."
Silence.
Then Liora burst into laughter. "No way!"
"That's why I couldn't see you at the dorm dinner!" Klyden wheezed, almost falling off the couch.
Wads glared daggers at them, but his death stare only made them laugh harder.
Liora plopped down beside Klyden. "We don't have classes tomorrow. Let's start cleaning here then!"
"That's… a good idea," Wads admitted reluctantly.
"Your Highness, are you going to help?" Liora asked.
Reiyell tilted her head. "I am not good with cleaning. But I can help you organize those papers." She gestured at the table stacked with hundreds of them.
"That's fine with me!" Liora grinned, giving her a thumbs up.
Klyden stretched his arms wide with a grin. "Tomorrow, the four of us—will make history! The greatest cleaning squad this Academy has ever seen!"
"You make it sound like we're going to war," Liora said, rolling her eyes but smiling.
"Cleaning is war," Klyden shot back dramatically, picking up a feather duster from one of the broken shelves and pointing it like a sword. "Dust… is the enemy."
"Idiot," Wads muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Reiyell, however, was watching with a small smirk tugging at her lips. "I've seen wars less noisy than this conversation."
Klyden gasped, clutching his chest as if struck. "Your Highness, that hurts."
"Truth often does," Reiyell replied dryly, brushing dust off her sleeves as though proving her point.
Liora leaned closer to Wads, whispering just loud enough for Klyden to hear. "If he keeps talking like that tomorrow, we'll finish cleaning next year."
"I heard that!" Klyden barked, but his grin never faltered.
"Good," Liora said, sticking her tongue out before bursting into a giggle.
Wads let out a long sigh, turning to the half-open passage behind them. "If this place collapses on us, I'm blaming the two of you."
"You chose us," Klyden argued, pointing his feather duster at Wads like it was solid proof. "You invited us into this adventure. You can't take it back now."
"Exactly," Liora chimed in with a smug grin. "This is teamwork, Wads. Whether you like it or not."
For a moment, Wads didn't say anything. His eyes glowed faintly in the dim light, then he looked away. "Teamwork, huh…" he muttered under his breath.
"Don't get all sentimental now," Klyden said, slapping Wads on the back—only for Wads to immediately glare daggers at him.
"Try that again, and I'll throw you into the dust pile."
"Eep—!" Klyden flinched and ducked behind Liora, who groaned. "Why am I always the shield between you two?"
Reiyell chuckled softly, her voice calm and steady. "Because you're the only one with patience."
Liora puffed her chest. "See? Even royalty recognizes my greatness."
"Your greatness nearly got us caught because you can't tie a handkerchief properly," Wads deadpanned.
That earned another round of laughter from both Liora and Klyden. Even Reiyell's lips twitched, though she didn't say anything.
Finally, Wads shook his head and walked toward the passage, muttering, "Tomorrow. After lunch. Don't be late."
"Sir, yes sir!" Klyden barked in a soldier's tone, saluting with his feather duster.
"Honestly," Wads said under his breath, but his steps slowed ever so slightly as if he didn't mind the noise behind him.
The group's voices echoed off the ancient walls, laughter blending with the dusty air. For the first time in a long while, this forgotten chamber seemed alive again—filled not with silence, but with the sound of new bonds being tied.