The next morning unfolded with a kind of lazy calm that felt foreign to the academy. No bells rang. No instructors barked orders. The courtyard that was usually bustling with shuffling students now carried a slow, steady rhythm — footsteps, laughter, the faint rustle of wind against the trimmed hedges.

Arios sat on the dorm balcony with a cup of lukewarm tea in his hand, staring at the training fields below. From here, he could see Lucy and Liza walking across the grass, arguing about something he couldn't hear. The two of them moved like opposite ends of a compass — one steady and controlled, the other impulsive and loud, but somehow they always circled back toward the same point.

He took a quiet sip. The tea wasn't particularly good, but it gave his hands something to do.

The academy had announced a three-day rest period following the end of the dungeon assessment arc. Officially, it was meant to allow "recovery and academic recalibration." In reality, it was the school's way of pretending everything was under control after the chaos.

Arios didn't mind. The downtime was rare.

He set the cup down and stood, rolling his shoulders before heading downstairs.

The dorm corridors were half-empty, the soft murmur of conversation echoing faintly between the walls. When he reached the main lounge, Liza was sprawled across one of the couches, balancing a bread roll on her forehead.

She looked up when he entered. "Morning, fearless leader."

He gave her a blank stare. "You're up early."

"It's past ten," she said, sitting up and catching the bread before it fell. "That's early enough for me."

Lucy appeared from the kitchen area a moment later, holding a plate of scrambled eggs and toast. Her expression was the same calm focus she wore during combat. "I told her not to eat cold bread from last night," she said.

"It's fine," Liza replied. "Builds character."

Lucy sighed and handed her the plate. "Eat something that isn't expired."

Arios sat down across from them. "You two always like this in the morning?"

Lucy glanced at him. "You mean functional?"

"I mean loud," Arios said.

Liza grinned. "You love it."

He didn't answer, but his silence was answer enough.

For a while, they ate quietly. Outside the wide windows, sunlight streamed through the trees, scattering golden reflections across the lounge floor. Somewhere, the faint hum of a cleaning drone drifted by, its mechanical tone oddly soothing.

When the plates were empty, Liza leaned back and crossed her arms behind her head. "So, what's the plan today? Or are we pretending to be normal students again?"

Lucy shrugged. "We could visit the library. Or maybe the east courtyard. I heard some of the upper-year students are setting up stalls there."

"Stalls?" Arios asked.

"Yeah," Lucy said. "They're selling charms, accessories, snacks. It's not officially a festival, but it's close enough."

Liza perked up. "Snacks? Sold. Let's go."

Arios stood up after a moment. "Fine. But we're not staying long."

Liza rolled her eyes. "You always say that."

They left the dorm and made their way through the main campus. The academy grounds were unusually lively — groups of students lounged under the shade, some practicing magic, others chatting in clusters. Stalls lined the walkway, draped with colorful banners advertising everything from "Energy Potions (Student Discount!)" to "Handcrafted Mana Stones."

The smell of food — grilled bread, roasted corn, and something sweetly spiced — hung in the air.

Liza stopped at nearly every booth, eyes wide with curiosity. Lucy, as expected, examined items carefully before moving on. Arios trailed behind them, watching quietly, occasionally stepping in when Liza tried to haggle with merchants who clearly knew better.

"Come on," Liza said at one point, pointing to a charm shaped like a tiny sword. "It's cute. You should get it."

Arios raised a brow. "For what purpose?"

"For fashion," she said.

"I don't need fashion."

"Yes, you do," she said. "You dress like someone attending a funeral every day."

Lucy gave her a look. "He's fine."

"Fine doesn't mean stylish," Liza muttered, though she still bought the charm for herself.

They continued through the courtyard, sunlight flickering through the canopy of trees overhead. At some point, Lucy stopped in front of a stall selling herbal teas. The vendor, an older student, handed her a small packet.

"It's good for focus," he said. "Helps with mana regulation."

Lucy thanked him politely and handed over a few coins.

When she turned, Arios was watching her. "You already have focus," he said.

"Doesn't mean I can't improve it," she replied.

Liza snorted. "You two are going to turn into eighty-year-olds drinking tea and reading scrolls every morning."

Lucy gave her a small smile. "That doesn't sound bad."

"Speak for yourself," Liza said. "I want adventure."

Arios looked at her. "You just had one."

"That doesn't count," she said. "That was trauma with extra steps."

They found a shaded bench near the end of the courtyard and sat. A soft wind drifted through, carrying the scent of grass and roasted peanuts from a nearby stall.

Liza munched happily on her snacks. "So what's next for us? We survived a dungeon. We exposed a creepy instructor. We even made it through a karaoke night. What's left?"

Lucy considered it. "Maybe we should… just live normally for a while."

Liza blinked. "You're serious?"

"Yes," Lucy said. "Not everything has to be a mission."

Liza stared at her for a long moment, then turned to Arios. "Who replaced her with this reasonable clone?"

He shrugged. "I prefer this version."

Lucy smiled faintly at that, and Liza groaned. "Ugh, you two are impossible."

The peaceful moment stretched.

Then, from somewhere in the distance, a faint rumble echoed — so subtle that only Arios seemed to notice. His eyes flicked toward the western towers, where a faint shimmer distorted the air for a second before vanishing.

Lucy caught his look. "Something wrong?"

He shook his head slowly. "Probably nothing."

But in his chest, something cold and familiar stirred — instinct. The same one that had saved him more times than he could count. It told him that "nothing" rarely stayed that way for long.

Liza, oblivious, leaned back and sighed. "Man, I wish days like this lasted forever."

"Me too," Lucy said quietly.

Arios didn't reply. His gaze lingered on the horizon — on the faint glint of light where the shimmer had been.

The academy bell rang once, distant but sharp. A sound of routine, yet it cut through the calm like a reminder.

When they eventually made their way back toward the dorms, the sun had begun its descent, painting the campus in fading gold. Liza skipped a few steps ahead, waving at a group of first-years who called out her name.

Lucy walked beside Arios, hands clasped behind her back. "You saw something earlier," she said. It wasn't a question.

He nodded slightly. "Probably a distortion. Could be residual mana from the dungeon simulations."

"Or something new?" she asked.

"Possibly."

She was quiet for a moment. "You'll tell us if it becomes something more, right?"

"I always do."

Her expression softened. "You always try to."

That earned her a faint smile. "You sound like you don't trust me."

"I do," she said. "I just know you."

They reached the dorm steps as the first stars appeared overhead. The lamps flickered on one by one, washing the courtyard in a warm, amber glow.

Liza stretched. "All right, I'm going to shower and collapse. Anyone interrupts my nap, I'll fight them."

Lucy nodded. "Goodnight, Liza."

"Night!" she called, already heading up the stairs.

That left Arios and Lucy standing under the lamp near the dorm entrance. The quiet returned, soft but not awkward.

Lucy hesitated. "You think the academy's really safe now?"

Arios looked past her toward the dark horizon. "No place like this ever stays safe for long."

She didn't press further. "Then we'll be ready when it changes."

He nodded. "We always are."

For a brief moment, their eyes met — not charged, not emotional, just an unspoken acknowledgment of everything they'd already endured. Then Lucy gave a small nod and turned toward the stairs.

Arios remained outside a little longer, watching the lamplight flicker across the paths. The hum of cicadas filled the night.

From his pocket, the small charm Liza had forced on him glinted faintly. He hadn't meant to keep it, but he hadn't thrown it away either.

He turned it between his fingers, feeling its light weight.

Somewhere behind the peace of this day, the gears of something larger were turning. He could feel it — quiet, steady, inevitable.

But for tonight, he slipped the charm back into his pocket and looked up at the stars.

The world could wait one more day.

Author's Note:

Hey everyone, I just want to say thank you for reading and supporting this story. It truly means a lot. Unfortunately, the book will be coming to an end soon. It's been feeling stagnant lately and hasn't been doing as well as I hoped, so I'd rather end it properly than let it drag on.

Thank you again for sticking with me and the characters till now. I'll do my best to give it a meaningful conclusion.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.