"Oh shit, she caught me…" Arden muttered under his breath.
The sound of rapid footsteps echoed behind him, signaling that someone was running toward him.
Instantly, he knew what to do. Without wasting a second, he shifted slightly to the right, and at the same moment—
A girl hit the ground, her face lightly kissing the dirt. "Ugh…" A groan escaped her lips.
Arin stood there, watching her without a hint of concern. He didn't bother helping her up—she had brought this on herself.
It was clear that she had tried to jump on Arin's back, but he had anticipated her move and sidestepped at the last moment.
Massaging his temples, Arin let out an exasperated sigh. "Lina, I've told you a million times, that won't work."
His voice was sharp as he looked at the girl who was now scrambling to her feet.
Lina finally stood up, her expression sour. It was obvious she wasn't happy. Who would be after a fall like that?
"But you could've at least tried to catch me," Lina protested, her bright eyes sparkling despite her frown. "You just moved aside like you didn't care that I was going to fall."
She had long, white hair that reached her lower back, and a face and figure that would easily turn heads. Her beauty was undeniable, and she was the kind of girl boys would take notice of.
But her most striking feature was her eyes—bright and almost sparkling.
Lina clicked her tongue in annoyance. "You're not supposed to treat your sister . You're supposed to pamper me," she insisted. "Don't you think so?"
Yes, Arin and Lina were siblings—twins, to be precise. But they were fraternal twins, which explained why they didn't look alike.
From the previous Arin's memories, he knew Lina could be a handful. She was clingy, and frankly, he had more important things to focus on than looking after her.
'Still, I can't discard her entirely. She'll be useful in the long run,' Arin thought to himself.
"Hmph…" Lina pouted again. "Are you even listening to me?"
Arin noticed that her expression had turned a bit downcast. Sighing, he stepped closer to her.
He gently placed a hand on her head, ruffling her hair. Instantly, her face lit up with a smile, and she closed her eyes, enjoying the gesture.
'Tch… such childish behavior,' Arin thought, though he felt a bit of relief seeing her mood improve.
Normally, he wouldn't have expected himself to care, but he had a theory that the original Arin's memories and feelings toward Lina were starting to influence him.
'I can't let that happen. The path I've chosen doesn't allow for such emotions,' Arin reminded himself as he removed his hand from her head.
Lina puffed out her cheeks the moment Arin pulled away. "Hmm, you're acting strange today. Your usual warm smile is nowhere to be found."
Arin sighed again. "I'm just tired, that's all."
Lina leaned in closer, scrutinizing his face with a piercing gaze. "Hmm, I'm not so sure about that, but if you say so," she said.
Lina paused for a few seconds, then leaned back, her expression softening. "Get some rest. I'll check up on you later." A smile formed on her face, and she added warmly, "You know I love you."
Arin just shook his head as he started walking away, waving his hand casually behind him.
Lina waved back, watching him leave. But as soon as he was out of sight, her smile faded, replaced by a look of concern.
"Is he really that tired? I hope he's fine," she muttered, a distant look in her eyes.
Arin was the closest friend she had, and she always made sure he was okay. Usually, they would stay outside to talk about the day, but today felt different. It was as if he wasn't interested.
"I guess he just needs some rest," Lina concluded, though the worry lingered as she turned and began walking toward the girls' dormitory.
Meanwhile, Arin was nearly at the male dormitory, his mind swirling with thoughts.
From the previous Arin's memories, he knew that Lina's Elemental Affinity was Ice, and she was a Grade 3 Veteran Mage.
Neither of their parents had white hair, but it wasn't unusual that Lina's hair turned white. In this world, a person's Affinity could influence their appearance. It wasn't rare, so their family hadn't been concerned when they saw Lina's hair change color, especially after discovering her Elemental Affinity.
As Arin walked, he could see the dormitory building coming into view. "Thankfully, we're not in the same class. She would've pestered the life out of me."
Thinking about Lina's potential, Arin knew she was the right person for the job he had in mind. He wasn't ready to discard her just yet.
Finally, Arin reached the dormitory and headed inside, quickly finding his way to his room.
As soon as he shut the door behind him, he pulled a small card from his pocket.
This card had been given to all first-year students during the entrance ceremony. It served as both identification and a means to purchase items within the Academy.
The Academy's currency was points. Every day, students received fifty free points, and they could earn more by completing "missions" from the mission building.
Of course, since the points were the Academy's currency, they couldn't be used outside its grounds. However, the Academy had plenty of stores where students could buy anything they needed.
Arin put the card back in his pocket. "Maybe I'll visit the cafeteria later."
He was eager to try the Arcane Chaos Spell, but there was nothing suitable to test it on at the moment. He'd have to wait for that "certain" day.
Pushing that thought aside, Arin brought out a piece of paper from his inventory. On it, he had written down important dates when certain events would occur.
His eyes quickly scanned the paper until they landed on a specific date.
"Tomorrow, huh? The flower…" A smirk spread across his face.
Hey guys, what's your thoughts about Lina?
And what flower do you think Arin is talking about?
As usual, let me hear your thoughts!!!