Lucas leaned back against the wall, thinking about what he'd overheard.

Seventeen students with claw marks, multiple broken bones, poisonous berry incidents... The exam had been brutal for everyone, not just his group.

He glanced around at his teammates.

Damion was checking his gear methodically, Zacard had pulled out his map and was making notations, Garrett and Lydia, and Celeste...

Celeste sat apart from the others, staring at her hands. Her earlier conversation with Lucas clearly still weighed on her mind.

"Hey," Lydia said quietly, sliding into the seat beside Lucas. "Is Celeste okay? She's been really quiet since we left the forest."

"We had a... conversation." Lucas said.

"About her feelings for you?" Lydia said.

"You knew?"

"Everyone knew, Lucas. She wasn't exactly subtle." Lydia smiled sadly. "What did you tell her?"

"The truth. That we hardly even know each other." Lucas said.

"Does that mean I have no chance then. We've only really known each other in the past few weeks." Lydia said in a half joking way.

"Well...I don't like being tied down," Lucas said. "Celeste' problem is that she was rushing it so if you're serious, we can always give it a shot.."

Before Lydia could respond, a voice called out from across the infirmary. "Team Damion! You're up for examination!"

The group rose and followed a healer to a sectioned-off area where they were each given a thorough medical check. Lucas's injuries were minor.

He just had some bruising, a few scratches that needed cleaning, nothing that wouldn't heal on its own with time.

"You're remarkably intact for someone who spent two days in Arvsen," the healer noted. "Most students come back looking far worse."

"Good teamwork," Lucas replied simply.

The healer applied a healing salve to his scratches and handed him a small vial. "Drink this tonight before bed. It'll help with any residual fatigue and prevent infection. You're cleared to return to your dorm."

One by one, the team members finished their examinations and regrouped near the infirmary exit.

"So," Garrett said, stretching. "What now?"

"Now we wait until tomorrow for results," Damion said. "Get cleaned up, get some real food, and try to sleep in an actual bed for once."

"That sounds like paradise," Zacard said.

They left the infirmary together, emerging into the academy grounds as evening settled over the campus.

The sky was painted in shades of orange and purple, and the air felt impossibly fresh after two days breathing forest humidity.

"I'm heading straight to the dining hall," Garrett said. "Anyone else?"

"Count me in," Zacard said. "I need something that isn't dried meat or foraged mushrooms."

Damion nodded. "Lydia?"

"Sure. Lucas? Celeste?"

Lucas glanced at Celeste, who shook her head. "I think I'll just head back to my dorm. I need some time alone."

"I'll walk you back," Lucas offered. "Your dorm is on the way to mine anyway."

Celeste looked surprised but nodded. "Okay."

The others headed toward the dining hall while Lucas and Celeste walked in the opposite direction. The campus was quiet, most students either still in the forest or recovering in the infirmary.

They walked in silence for a while, the only sounds their footsteps on the cobblestone path and the distant chatter from the dining hall.

"Lucas," Celeste finally said. "About what you said earlier..."

"You don't need to..."

"No, let me finish." She stopped walking, turning to face him. "You were right. About everything. The way I've been acting, the way I forced myself into your life without considering your feelings... it wasn't fair to you."

Lucas remained quiet, letting her continue.

"My mother always taught me to go after what I want, to never hesitate or show weakness. In noble society, hesitation is seen as a character flaw. So when I felt this... this pull toward you, I acted on it immediately without thinking about whether it was appropriate or wanted."

She looked down at her hands. "I convinced myself that because I felt so strongly, it had to be real. It had to be love. Because what else could make me feel this way?"

"But you were right. I don't really know you. I know you're brave and capable and surprisingly clever in dangerous situations. I know you make me feel safe even when we're surrounded by monsters. But I don't know your favorite color, or what you like to read, or what you dream about when you're alone."

"Light blue," Lucas said.

Celeste looked up. "What?"

"My favorite color. It's light blue. Like the sky just after dawn."

A small smile crossed her face. "Mine is silver. Like moonlight on snow."

"And I like reading adventure novels," Lucas continued. "The kind where the hero goes on impossible quests and somehow survives through luck and determination."

"I prefer romance novels," Celeste admitted. "Though I'm starting to think I've been reading the wrong ones if they taught me that forcing feelings was somehow romantic."

"What do I dream about?" Lucas mused. "Honestly? Surviving. Making it through each day. Getting stronger so I can protect the people I care about."

"That's... sadder than I expected," Celeste said.

"What about you? What do you dream about?"

"Being free. Not from my family exactly, but from the expectations. From always having to be perfect, to never show weakness or vulnerability. I dream about being able to just... be myself without worrying about what that means for my family's reputation." Celeste said.

They reached the women's dormitory building. Celeste paused at the entrance.

"You wouldn't mind if we just walked pass this dorm and just headed straight from your dorm room," she said.

"Celeste..." Lucas began.

"I know. I know. I'll go up. But just know, we'll be together forever at some point. But I'll give space you space and I'll study you and learn everything about you if that's what's needed." She said.

Not this again.

"Celeste..." Lucas began.

"I know, I know." She smiled, "Good night, Lucas."

"Good night, Celeste."

Lucas watched her enter the building, then turned toward his own dorm. As he walked, he felt a weight lift from his shoulders.

The situation with Celeste was a little strange. Not because she was yandere but because she wasn't yandere enough.

It was something he had noticed since Celeste joined his class.

If it were like in the game, Lydia and Marie would long be found dead in a ditch with how close they are to him. This was the reason he was originally worried when he had encountered Celeste.

It was only after observing this for a while that he decided to "talk no jutsu" Celeste and thankfully it seemed to work. Unfortunately, that meant he had one more thing to investigate..

What the hell caused Celeste to be less yandere?

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