The rain had ceased hours ago, leaving the evening sky clear and bright. Sunlight broke through where storm clouds that had lingered all day, casting long golden rays across the academy grounds.

Reinhard pushed open the classroom door before making his way toward the exit. The floors reflected the warm light from gas lamps that had just been lit along the walls.

He stepped outside onto the cobblestone path, breathing in the fresh air that still carried the scent of rain.

The plan was to return to his dorm room and continue absorbing the souls he'd collected. But before he'd taken more than a dozen steps, he heard rapid steps approaching from behind.

"Reinhard!"

He turned just as Marie reached him, her platinum hair streaming behind her like a banner. She didn't slow down, didn't give him time to prepare, and simply threw her arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace.

For a moment, Reinhard stood frozen before relaxing and returning the hug. Her jacket pressed against his, the fabric of their matching uniforms rustling softly.

When they pulled back, Marie's light-gold eyes were bright with excitement. She didn't let go entirely, instead grasping his hand with both of hers.

"Lloyd, Bruno, Kyle, Jessie, and Suzy are back from their expedition." Marie said, slightly breathless. "They have time. Do you want to go eat dinner with them?"

Reinhard felt a smile tug at his lips at the mention of the five inquisitors they'd rescued from Mensis Town. "Sure, but where's Joseph? Is he already there with them, or plans to go there later?"

Marie hummed thoughtfully, tilting her head. "He's still meeting with the Information Institution to set up the mission to the Eastern Hesod."

Reinhard nodded. "Let's go then."

Marie's entire face lit up before immediately pulling him forward by the hand, not waiting for him to say anything else.

She led him across the courtyard, past the fountain that now reflected the clear evening sky, and toward one of the academy's restaurants.

The building rose three stories high with shuttered windows and warm light spilling from within. Marie pushed open the heavy wooden door, and immediately the sounds of conversation and clinking spoons and forks washed over them.

The interior was elegant with tables arranged throughout the space, lights hanging from the ceiling, and servers moving between patrons.

A woman at the front desk looked up, and her face broke into a warm smile. "Marie! Good evening."

"Good evening, Mrs. Caldwell." Marie replied as she released Reinhard's hand momentarily to approach the desk. "Where are Lloyd and the others?"

Mrs. Caldwell gestured toward the back of the restaurant. "Corner table near the windows. They arrived about five minutes ago."

"Thank you!" Marie turned back to Reinhard, reclaiming his hand and pulling him deeper into the restaurant.

They maneuver between tables, passing groups of students in academy uniforms and a few professors still wearing their formal attire. The scent of roasted meat and fresh bread filled the air, making Reinhard realize he hadn't eaten since breakfast.

Marie navigated with confidence, clearly familiar with the layout.

The corner table came into view with five figures seated around it. Lloyd sat facing the entrance and spotted them first, raising his hand in greeting.

"Marie! Reinhard!"

The other four turned, and smiles appeared on their faces. Jessie's blonde ponytail swayed as she shifted in her seat to see them better. Bruno leaned back in his chair with a grin already forming. Kyle's violet eyes brightened with recognition, while Suzy adjusted the shorter blonde hair at her shoulders.

"You made it!" Suzy called out.

Marie released Reinhard's hand as they reached the table, both of them taking the two empty seats that had clearly been saved. Reinhard settled into the chair beside Lloyd, while Marie sat between him and Jessie.

The table was already set with empty plates and silverware, water glasses full and waiting.

Jessie leaned forward, blue eyes fixed on Reinhard with an amused glint. "So Sleeping Beauty has awakened."

Reinhard's lips twitched. "Yeah, and a lot has changed, so I've heard."

Lloyd nodded, his brown hair falling across his forehead as he did. "But the worst thing is now you have to catch up with everything."

Bruno's green eyes widened, and his grin turned knowing. "But knowing Principal Klaus, he wouldn't let you do it by yourself… Let me guess! It was Professor Rosaria who helped you catch up?"

Reinhard nodded slowly, already feeling the phantom pain in his head. "But it was terrible." He reached up to rub his head, remembering the endless stream of information that had been crammed into his brain over the past two weeks. "I still feel like my head's going to explode from everything she made me memorize."

Suzy giggled as her green eyes sparkled with mirth. "Guys, we promised Marie not to make fun of him." She gestured around the table with mock seriousness. "Besides, we're all here to just chat and have fun."

The others smiled and chuckled, nodding in agreement, and even Reinhard felt some of the tension in his shoulders ease.

Marie nodded approvingly, then her eyes suddenly lit up, and she shifted forward in her seat, hands clasping together on the table. "Oh, tell us about what missions you guys have been on!"

The five exchanged glances, each of them seeming to silently debate who should start, and finally, Kyle spoke up. "Well, after that disaster, we actually had a few successful expeditions," he began. "There was one in the Northern Hesod, which was the elimination of Phantasm Beast Wyvern that were causing havoc in a village. Nothing too dangerous."

"Until Bruno decided to show off," Jessie interjected, her tone dry but affectionate.

Bruno raised his hands defensively, though his grin never faltered. "I wasn't showing off! The strategy worked, didn't it?"

A server approached their table, a young woman with her hair tied back in a neat bun. "Good evening. Are you ready to order?"

The conversation paused as they quickly scanned the menus that had been placed at each setting. Marie ordered the roasted chicken with herbs and vegetables. Reinhard followed with beef stew, while the others called out their choices in rapid succession.

The server noted everything efficiently before disappearing toward the kitchen.

Lloyd picked up where Kyle had left off. "The Northern Hesod mission was actually interesting. We encountered a pack of Shadow Hounds-"

"Seven of them," Suzy added, holding up her fingers for emphasis.

"Seven," Lloyd confirmed. "They'd been terrorizing travelers on the main road for weeks. The Information Institution sent us to handle it because they were classified as low-threat individuals."

"But seven together?" Kyle shook his head. "That changed things."

Reinhard leaned forward slightly, and Marie mirrored his posture.

"How did you handle them?" Marie asked.

Jessie smirked. "Lloyd actually came up with a decent plan for once."

"For once?" Lloyd protested.

"We used the terrain," Bruno explained, as he gestured with his hands. "The road passed through a narrow canyon. We set up positions on the high ground and funneled them into a kill zone."

The food began arriving with the servers moving as they placed steaming plates before each of them. The roasted chicken Marie had ordered looked perfectly golden, with herbs visible on the crispy skin.

Reinhard's beef stew came in a deep bowl, chunks of tender meat visible in rich brown gravy alongside carrots and potatoes.

They thanked the servers and began eating, though the conversation never truly stopped. Between bites, the five continued their story, with Marie asking questions that kept them talking.

"What about after the Shadow Hounds?" Marie asked while cutting into her chicken.

"There was the textile factory investigation in Gungo Town. " Suzy said while picking the paste on her fork. "Workers reported strange noises in the basement after hours, which turned out to be a nest of Whisper Rats."

Kyle snorted. "Whisper Rats. We spent three hours hunting things the size of house cats."

"They were creepy house cats," Jessie pointed out, stabbing at her salad. "Those red eyes in the dark that constantly stare at you? The fact that they seem to have multiple lives even after being them over and over? Or the fact that they numbered over fifty? No, thank you."

Reinhard found himself smiling more than he had in a very long time. The atmosphere around felt warm and comfortable, with the others laughing. He ate his stew slowly, savoring both the food and the company.

Bruno launched into another tale, something about a merchant's warehouse and a Mimic Beast that had disguised itself as a crate of imported goods. Marie laughed at his description of Jessie's reaction when the "crate" had sprouted teeth.

"I was perfectly calm." Jessie insisted, though her red cheeks suggested otherwise.

"You screamed," Kyle deadpanned.

"I made a tactical noise to scare it away."

More laughter followed while plates gradually emptied as the stories continued, each of the five taking turns sharing their experiences.

Marie asked about specific details such as what skills they'd used, how they'd coordinated, and what challenges they'd faced.

Reinhard found himself content to mostly listen, occasionally asking his own questions, but mainly just absorbing the normalcy of it all.

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