"Well, that should be enough." Emma let out a quiet sigh as she set the quill aside and gave the letter one last read, making sure she had mentioned everything that needed to be said.
The letter was for her father—who must have already received the report about the incident with William.
Kaizek's opinion of William would surely shape her father's judgment. Emma wasn't sure whether that judgment would be favorable or not, but there was one thing she was certain of.
Kaizek wouldn't lie to her father.
And that was exactly what made her uneasy about his reaction. This letter, then, was necessary.
It didn't contain any explanations—only reassurance.
Emma didn't regret her decision, and she never would. Even knowing the strange abilities William possessed, she was confident he wouldn't do anything that would make her regret freeing him.
She stood up from the table, deciding to send the letter the next morning. For now, she planned to have dinner with William in the dining hall.
As she stepped out of her room, she noticed her neighbor, Natalie, doing the same.
The two girls exchanged a brief glance before Natalie gave an awkward nod and walked away.
Emma didn't say anything and simply followed her own path.
But seeing Natalie reminded her of something—
The upcoming arc.
The Mad Scholar.
An attack on the academy by an antagonist who had already targeted students once before.
Talobo. That was his name—the man who believed he had the sharpest mind in the world.
Cunning, creative… but a little insane. Maybe that's what happens when brilliance goes too far.
He was supposed to strike during the weekend—in two days.
Most teachers would leave for their hometowns, returning only before the first class of the week. Students, however, weren't allowed to leave.
That's exactly why the Mad Scholar chose that day—to trap the students, disable the security, and hunt down a few promising ones.
Several Council members and teachers would fall during the attack. And with the Headmaster away visiting his family, the academy would be left defenseless.
But of course, when things reached the breaking point, the Protagonist and his companions would step in—and save the day.
But Emma didn't plan on letting things reach that point. She already knew how to intercept the man and stop the chaos before it began.
'I'll kill him this time for sure.' Letting an antagonist escape was one of Kevin's most irritating flaws.
Emma wasn't going to repeat that mistake.
She and Natalie walked a few paces apart, heading in the same direction.
As one might guess, both of them were Council Members.
Excelling in both academics and combat, they had earned their seats right after reaching their senior year.
Naturally, both were chosen to participate in the Goblet of Honor. But after today's incident, Emma was certain that a certain blond boy would take one of the Council's places in the contest.
'Hmm?' Her brows lifted when she spotted the very person she was thinking of—inside the kitchen.
She approached quietly and found William chopping vegetables.
"A new hobby?" she asked.
William glanced up at her. "New, huh?"
*TAK* *TAK* *TAK*
The steady rhythm of the knife filled the air. From the way his hands moved, Emma could tell this wasn't something he had picked up recently. His cuts were clean and practiced—proof that he had been cooking for years.
She was only teasing him.
Leaning her elbows on the outer edge of the counter, she asked with a small smile, "We're having dinner together, right?"
William frowned slightly. "Didn't you usually eat with the other students? Why here today?"
He was right. Emma didn't like waiting; she valued time over taste. She usually dined in the common hall instead of using her privileges.
What made her chuckle, though, was his unintentional admission. "You've been watching me for quite a while, haven't you?"
William froze at her words, and the knife slipped, grazing his finger.
*CLANG*
The blade hit the floor with a sharp ring.
Clicking his tongue in annoyance, William rinsed the cut under the water. But before he could find a bandage, Emma gently grabbed his hand.
He frowned, but she said softly, "Let me heal it so you can keep cooking."
William sighed, giving in, and held out his hand—expecting her to cast a healing spell. She was a healer, after all.
But what she did next… froze him completely.
She tucked her hair strands behind her ear and rolled her small and pink tongue out before taking his finger in her mouth.
Her warm and moist mouth was vivid on his skin, making him completely stiff at his spot.
The softness of her lips, the warmth of her wet tongue, it was all too vivid.
She had closed her eyes and was completely focused on the job.
William couldn't comprehend what just had happened as he stood there. He had even forgotten how to breathe.
Natalie and a few others around them couldn't help steal glances at the couple who were no longer hiding the fact that they were dating.
After a few seconds, William finally gained some clarity so he asked, "What the hell are you doing?"
Emma opened her big eyes and blinked innocently.
Removing his finger from her lips, she said, "Healing you. See, there is no cut now."
William didn't even glance at his finger before asking, "Oh, so that's how you always heal people?"
With a thin grin, she said, "That was a special method, reserved just for you. Do tell me if you get cuts anywhere else."
William couldn't believe he was feeling flustered here. Just how shameless can she be?
Huffing he moved away from her and focused on cooking…and because of that, he completely missed how red Emma's ears had turned.
'That was bad…I can't let emotions rule my actions.' She glanced at him before squealing in her mind, 'But he looked so cute!'
The dinner preparation went in silence as William barely kept his focus on the food while Emma sat on the side, staring at him in a daze.
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A/N:- Thanks for reading.