[Later That Day – Kael's Dorm Room | The Day Before Vacation Begins]
Kael stood in the center of his room, surveying the small mess of books, training clothes, scrolls, and potion vials. With a flick of his wrist, his storage ring shimmered to life. One by one, the items floated in midair before blinking into his ring in flashes of mana-blue light.
"Alright," he muttered, slinging a dark, travel-ready coat over his shoulder. "Vacation time…"
He looked around once more, the silence of the dorm oddly comforting. For the first time in weeks, the academy would go quiet no clashing spells, no dramatic sparring announcements, no sudden demon outbreaks. Just silence.
Kael sighed and flopped onto the edge of his bed. "One whole month," he whispered. "I should probably spend it relaxing… but then again…"
His eyes narrowed with resolve.
"I'll need to clear dungeons."
The system inside him pinged quietly in agreement. With his progress accelerating, Kael knew he couldn't afford to slack off. And he wasn't interested in wasting time with low-tier training zones filled with goblins and slimes either.
"Mid to high-level dungeons only," he said aloud. "But I'll need help… someone who can keep up."
Cynthia came to mind strong, experienced, reliable. But he shook his head. She'll probably be dealing with family stuff during the break. Same with the others Matthew, Samantha, even Jin probably had entire Eldraven family meetings scheduled already.
Kael sat up straight, then smirked to himself.
"But Elsa Sylvenmire… she's different."
He remembered her approach during the mock war event unrelenting, methodical, and fiercely focused. Elsa didn't care much about bloodlines or titles. She cared about one thing:
Getting stronger.
"She'll say yes," Kael said to himself, standing up and exiting the room.
—
[Outside the Girls' Dormitory | Late Afternoon]
The air was calm, with soft golden sunlight pouring through the tall arched windows of the academy towers. Kael walked up the winding staircase toward the room he vaguely remembered being Elsa's. He stopped in front of the door labeled C-12.
"Pretty sure this is it," he murmured, then knocked twice.
A moment passed.
Then the door creaked open slowly. Standing there was Elsa Sylvenmire her signature messy brown hair now shoulder-length, strands falling over her soft but sharp green eyes. She was in loose pajama bottoms, a tank top, and a toothbrush halfway out of her mouth.
Kael tilted his head, raising an eyebrow. "Looks like you stopped taking care of yourself, Elsa."
Elsa narrowed her eyes mid-brush. "Shut up before I punch you," she mumbled with toothpaste foam at the edge of her lips.
Kael laughed. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Listen today, we vacate for a month. I'm heading out to clear some dungeons during the break."
Her expression didn't change. She kept brushing, staring at him like he'd just told her the sky was blue.
Kael continued, "I need someone who can keep up. Someone who doesn't mind getting their hands a little bloody. You in?"
Elsa froze mid-brush. Then slowly, as the words sank in, a gleam lit her eyes. She went back into her dorm spat into a sink wiped her mouth with a towel and ce back out.
"Hell yes," she grinned. "You had me at 'dungeon.'"
Kael blinked. "Wait was that a yes?"
Elsa leaned against the doorframe, her smile turning playful. "Obviously."
He nodded, reaching into his pocket and offering her his comm sigil. She handed him hers in return an old-school number scribbled on a small notepad.
"I'll text you the location," he said, turning to head back downstairs.
"Don't flake on me, Vernier," she called out. "Or I'm hunting solo."
Kael raised a hand without looking back. "Wouldn't miss it."
He descended the steps with a slight smile, the sunset hitting his white hair with a golden glow.