With three classes already behind them, the students were granted a period of freedom before their final session of the day—something that felt almost too good to be true.

As they exited the alchemy classroom, the mood was noticeably lighter. Aside from Melody, who had received a somewhat positive remark, the rest of the class had been scolded for wasting precious ingredients—though not as severely as Lilly and Michael.

"Dude, that professor is something else…" Rudy muttered, stretching dramatically.

Michael nodded. "Yeah, I didn't realize alchemy required that much precision. If the ingredients are so valuable, why even let first-years take the class?" he added dryly.

"Those were mostly common materials," came a voice from behind.

It was Melody, followed closely by Lilly—who now seemed permanently attached to her shadow.

"Common?" Michael frowned. "Then why was she so angry?"

"Because someone didn't follow her clear instructions," Lilly snapped, shooting him a glare. She was still clearly holding him responsible for the failed concoction.

Several comebacks leapt to Michael's tongue, but none were worth the trouble. Instead, he changed the subject. "So, where should we go now? We've got a free period."

"Is the kitchen open?" Rudy asked, rubbing his stomach hopefully.

"No, but if you're really hungry, there's still some of that porridge I made left in the cauldron," Michael teased, flashing a grin.

The two boys laughed, while Melody and Lilly shook their heads—eerily in sync.

"Should we visit the library, Melody?" Lilly asked, eyes bright with enthusiasm. "I think there should be some alchemy books that could help us for tomorrow's class."

"Mmm. If you want to be my partner, you can't afford to lag behind," Melody replied, wearing the expression of a queen addressing her court.

"Yay!"

Michael turned to Rudy, both boys wearing identical, bemused expressions after overhearing the exchange.

"You should probably help Rudy with his mana theory," Melody added, glancing at Michael. Her tone still carried that noble refinement she used with Lilly. "With everything I've taught you, you should be able to manage that much, right?"

"Wow, you taught Michael about mana theory? You're so smart!" Lilly gushed, practically glowing with admiration.

"Well… I have been called a genius before," Melody replied, chin tilted upward with pride.

"Mmm. Truly a genius mage. I wouldn't be surprised if you became top of the class this year," Lilly added, nodding along like a bobblehead.

"Yeah, I doubt that," Michael said with a laugh. "She'll probably lose points in combat class—especially since she can barely run two minutes without needing a break."

He froze, immediately sensing two murderous glares pierce his back.

"Well, gotta go! Enjoy the library," he blurted out, grabbing Rudy by the arm and hurrying down the nearest hallway—putting as much distance between them and the girls as possible.

Only when they turned a corner and were safely out of sight did Michael let out a breath of relief.

"Looks like Melody picked up a new follower…"

"Yeah, I could see her head growing in real time," Rudy replied. "Let's just hope it doesn't get so big it explodes."

Michael wanted to laugh, but deep down, he was genuinely concerned. The dynamic between Melody and Lilly didn't feel like a budding friendship—it resembled a noble and her subject.

I hope I'm just overthinking this…

"I'm curious," Rudy said, eyes locking onto him with genuine interest. "How did you guys even get engaged? It seems like an odd pairing…"

"Yeah… it is pretty odd," Michael admitted, his voice growing quiet. The topic made him uncomfortable, especially after his recent realization—that the Winterbornes had used him as a mere political pawn.

He didn't want to lie to Rudy. But if word got out that the engagement was a sham, the consequences could be catastrophic.

Yet, as he met Rudy's curious but open expression, he found no hint of scheming or judgment. Just honest curiosity. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to open up—to share a piece of the truth with someone. Maybe then he wouldn't have to shoulder it all alone.

Is this what having friends is really like?

"I'll tell you the full story later," he said at last, his tone soft.

Just then, he noticed two older students heading toward them from the far end of the hall.

"Hmm? What are first-years doing here?" the girl called out, her voice loud and clear.

Michael glanced up, noting the violet insignias stitched into their robes—fourth-years. The girl was striking, with sharp eyes and confident poise. But it was the guy beside her that made his breath catch.

Tousled blond hair. Lazy voice. That unmistakable smirk.

"Oh? If it isn't Michael and his friend," the blond said, flicking his hair aside as if the gesture were a reflex. "What brings you two down here? Did you sign up for the Ancient Languages elective?" he asked, his tone casual—but there was an undercurrent of interest beneath it.

Magnus…

"You know these kids, Magnus?" the girl asked, now eyeing them more closely.

Being scrutinized by a pretty upperclassman was enough to make both Rudy and Michael squirm. If Magnus hadn't been standing there, Michael might've turned and bolted.

"The blond one is my cousin's fiancé," Magnus replied with a faint smile. "And the other is a violet emblem student. We met at the welcoming feast."

The girl tilted her head, frowning slightly. "Your cousin's fiancé? Which cousin?"

"I only have two female cousins," Magnus said, a trace of irritation in his voice. "And one of them is nearly ten years older than me—do the math."

The girl blinked. Then her gaze snapped to Michael, her eyes wide with realization. She scanned him from head to toe, as though trying to memorize every detail of his appearance.

Feeling her stare like a physical weight, Michael took a half-step back. "Er, we took a wrong turn," he said hastily, grabbing Rudy by the arm. "Sorry!"

Without waiting for a reply, he turned on his heel and hurried away, dragging Rudy with him—wanting nothing more than to escape the situation.

Michael already had the sense that Magnus could see through him back at the feast. Spending too much time around him now only increased the risk of being exposed.

So, for now, he'd retreat. But he knew this was only a temporary solution.

Sooner or later, avoiding Magnus would no longer be an option.

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