Gray and Selina slowed as they reached the edge of the clearing, snow crunching under their boots.

The fog thinned just enough for the shapes ahead to become clear, showing first the silhouette of a tiny structure, then the flicker of a small campfire, and finally…

A little house made entirely of snow, packed tightly and shaped surprisingly well, like a child's idea of a winter hideout brought to life.

And right in front of it, Lyra was practically bouncing.

"Brother! I told you we'd run into each other again!" she chirped, her hands waving animatedly as she talked with her brother, who had the expression of someone caught between relief and sheer exasperation.

Behind him, Maelis poked her head out of the snow-house entrance, her black hair glowing softly against the pale backdrop.

The moment her gaze landed on Gray, her entire face lit up, bright and warm like sunlight breaking through storm clouds.

"Gray!!" she called, lifting her hand and waving it in small, excited motions.

Claire stood just a step behind her, wrapped in an oversized cloak that did nothing to hide her fluster.

The instant she realized Gray was looking in her direction, her cheeks colored a pretty shade of pink, and she tried to mask it by pretending to adjust the hood.

'...Not these fuckers,' Gray was already annoyed.

Meanwhile, Selina spotted Claire and immediately lit up.

"Oh! Claire!" she called, rushing over with bright eyes as if she'd forgotten the cold entirely.

Within seconds, the two were exchanging excited words, Selina's hands animated as Claire nodded with a playful smile.

Selene slipped up beside Gray, looking at his annoyed expression.

"Should we both get out of here?" She looked at him with a suggestive, flirty smile, making a few hand movements.

Gray looked at her and smiled lightly.

"Tempting."

He looked over to the others, and when he noticed, Maelis was already in front of him.

"Brother~"

Before he could react, her arms were already wrapped around him as she buried her chin on his shoulder with a giddy smile.

"I missed you sooo much~, ahaha~," she blew onto his ear, causing his body to shiver lightly as he tried to get out of her grip.

Thud...

His eyes widened.

'Huh…? No way...'

He poured more strength into it; his veins even started tensing slightly under his sleeves, but she didn't budge even a millimeter.

'...How the fuck is she stronger than me? She's a mage!'

On the other side, Maelis, seeing his expression, smiled lightly.

'His strength is weakened... huh? I guess that he can now express emotions,' Maelis nodded to herself lightly.

'I never got what Alina meant by saying that his power was sealed most of the time... and when it's sealed, Gray can express emotions, but if it isn't, he cannot... Maybe his power is related to his emotions?'

She eyed his struggling expression carefully, and seeing that he actually was struggling, made her lips curl up a little.

'…This is too cute. He seriously can't move. He's trapped. My brother is actually trapped in my arms…'

'...This bitch! Just let me fucking go, already!'

"What's wrong, big brother~?" she cooed, lifting her head just enough to look into his eyes, her cheek still pressed warmly against his chest.

"You really can't escape my loving embrace?"

He grit his teeth.

"Huff… let me go, Maelis."

"Hmnn? Why? Is my hug too strong for you?" she teased, her voice dripping like honey as she stared up with a playful glint.

At her words... Gray's eyes suddenly darkened.

The rings in his eyes, all those hypnotic swirls, snapped away in an instant.

His expression flattened.

"That's enough."

Thump!

Maelis froze.

A chill ran down her back as her heart squeezed painfully.

For a split second, she couldn't breathe.

Gray's presence changed, darkness rippling from him as he tore himself from her grasp with a strength far beyond anything she could stop.

Snow crunched sharply under his boots as he stepped back and brushed frost off his shirt.

"A-a-ahh...?"

Maelis inhaled shakily.

'So that's how it works… interesting.'

"…Don't bother me," he added flatly.

And the moment the words ended, the hypnotic rings returned, along with a strange spike of pain fluttering right onto his head.

Gray's hand rose to his temple.

'Agh… damn it… my head!'

When he opened his eyes again, Maelis wasn't touching him as she wasn't even close to him anymore.

She stood a step away, fingers trembling lightly, her expression caught somewhere between startled and… afraid.

Gray blinked.

"…What?"

He didn't get the chance to question it.

"Hey, Ladies~!"

Adrian swaggered into the conversation, moving toward Selene and Selina, who were now talking with Claire while Lyra kept her eyes glued to Gray and Maelis, her expression suspiciously calm.

"Miss me yet?" Adrian asked with a grin.

"Never."

Both Selena and Selene replied instantly.

Adrian's smile twitched, but he played it off, regaining his composure before sitting down next to Claire.

"Ah..." she stiffened slighly before instinctively scooting a few centimeters away, pretending she needed more space on the log.

Adrian pretended not to notice, but he had absolutely noticed.

"Guys, I'm back!"

Another familiar voice boomed across the snowy clearing.

All heads turned as Leon stomped in, carrying two massive snow-deer beasts over his shoulders as if they were bags of flour.

Steam rose off their bodies as if they had been freshly killed.

"Got dinner, and—" His voice slowed as his gaze swept over the group.

".. it seems that we have some... company." The moment his eyes found Gray, they sharpened with annoyance, deeply etched on them.

Gray only sighed and shook his head.

"Don't bother. I was just about to leave."

"Gray! Wait!" Lyra's voice cut through the cold air.

She hurried up to him, clasping their hands together as her mesmerizing golden eyes were wide and shimmering with hope.

"Let's stay with them! Eight people are better than four, right?" She leaned in, weaponizing puppy eyes like a trained assassin.

Gray's eyes melted slighly.

[𖤐 Loser. 𖤐]

The other Gray's voice suddenly echoed in his mind, causing him to flinch slighly.

'Jasmine, did you hear something?'

[Mn? No?]

'Okay... it seems that I was simply hallucinating insults... How pathetic…' Gray frowned slighly.

Maybe his inferiority complex towards the other Gray had manifested a little.

"Sigh... alright then," Gray nodded to Lyra, which caused Selene to click her tongue in annoyance.

"Yay!"

Lyra beamed so brightly she could've melted the snow around them.

"Hold up!" Leon's voice interrupted their talk.

He stepped forward, snow crunching under his boots, his eyes narrowing with open hostility.

"Who said you were allowed to stay here, huh?"

Crackle!

Spatial energy crackled into glowing violet spheres in both of his hands, warping the air around them.

Gray slowly turned back toward him… and snapped his fingers.

Snip!

Dozens of strings shimmered into existence and were now visible as they aligned themselves with precision at the vital points of every person present.

Everyone except his team.

"You sure you want to fight?"

Fwssh!

All of his strings suddenly caught on fire, causing Gray to look at Adrian, who was wielding a strange golden flame.

It was much hotter than an ordinary one, causing him to frown slighly.

[...The authority of the God of the Sun. He's quite dangerous indeed...]

'Fuck! Didn't you say that having the blessing of a god was something difficult?!' Gray couldn't help but think, clearly annoyed.

[It is… but you're in the best academy in the world, darling. ]

Within moments, every string dissolved into drifting black ash.

"Hah~, is that it?" Adrian gave him a mocking glare, causing his fists to clench lightly.

Everyone was shocked at this, as no one except Cassandra had successfully broken through Gray's strings!

"...Just let them join us, I wouldn't mind spending some more time with my brother~" Maelis suddenly spoke.

And at that moment, both Adrian and Leon, albeit annoyed, nodded slighly, causing Gray's eyebrows to furrow in surprise as he looked at his sister.

"Muah~" she winked at him before blowing him a kiss.

Seeing this, Lyra happily got out of Gray's side and went to her brother's before pulling him away with a bright smile.

Leon cleared his throat loudly.

"…Gray. You know how to cook, right?"

"…Yes?" Gray blinked.

"Good. Then help me with this." He gestured at the deer.

Gray was a little surprised, but nodded lightly.

He picked up the deer carcass with ease, carrying it away from the group for a clean workspace.

His eyes scanned the snowy ground until he spotted a cluster of firm branches near a half-buried log.

Then, he grabbed several and jabbed them into the snow, creating a crude rack.

"Mhm... perfect,"

After that, using his rapier, he began skinning the deer with clean cuts that peeled away the hide without damaging the meat underneath.

Once he removed the skin, he separated the parts: legs, ribs, fand lank meat.

He sliced them into thick, even strips before skewering them onto more sticks.

"I'll need fire," he murmured.

"Oh! Claire!" he called immediately.

"Come here!"

Claire was almost startled, but hurried over with a faint smile as she asked directly.

"Do you need something?"

Gray turned to her.

"Can you help me heat these? I'll guide you!"

Her eyes lit up instantly.

"Okay!"

She raised her fingers, conjuring a gentle spark of orange flame. Gray placed a hand over hers, steadying her aim without touching too much skin.

"Good. Lower the heat here… increase a bit on this side… keep it even... perfect!"

He guided her until a small, controlled fire licked under the meat.

The rich smell of roasting deer rose into the cild air.

Just like that, a tiny barbecue pit took shape with skewers lined across the wooden rack, flames beneath them warm and steady.

"...Just a few more minutes, and it should be done," he gently tapped Claire's head.

"Okay...!"

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