Arin and Lina walked into the cafeteria along with the other students.
The cafeteria was spacious enough to accommodate all the first-year students, yet from what Arin could see, it was already crowded.
The chatter of students filled the air, a mix of those already eating and others waiting for their food.
The center of the cafeteria was wide open, while the left and right sides were lined with tables and chairs where the students sat.
With steady steps, Arin made his way toward one of the counters at the far end of the room, Lina following closely behind.
When they reached the counter, Arin noticed a lady with brown hair scribbling something on a piece of paper. She wore a serious expression and didn't seem to notice their presence.
Arin cleared his throat and spoke up, "Excuse me, miss, I'm here to get my food."
His voice broke the lady's concentration, and she quickly looked up, her expression softening as she attended to them.
"Oh, sorry about that. What would you like to eat?" she asked, a smile now replacing her earlier seriousness.
Arin and Lina placed their orders, then walked over to some vacant chairs on the right side of the cafeteria.
Arin chose a seat close to the wall, while Lina sat beside him. The other students around them were engrossed in their own conversations.
"You're looking better," Lina commented, a slight smile tugging at her lips. "You don't seem tired anymore."
Arin nodded slightly, folding his arms as he settled into his chair.
Lina observed him quietly. His demeanor was different—quieter, more reserved. It wasn't like him, and she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. She worried that Arin was hiding something.
"Ar—" She started to say his name but hesitated. 'What if I'm overthinking this?' she wondered, biting her lip. In the end, she decided to keep watching him. If he continued to act differently, she'd have to confront him.
After a few minutes, the lady returned with a tray holding two plates—one for Arin and one for Lina.
She placed the tray on the table and smiled. "Enjoy your meal," she said before walking away.
Arin's eyes scanned the plate in front of him, his hunger intensifying as the aroma wafted up to his nose.
The plate held a hearty stew with chunks of meat and vegetables, and Arin could tell just by the smell that it would taste incredible. Beside the stew was a warm, freshly baked loaf of bread, its scent just as enticing.
Without wasting any time, Arin began to eat. Lina followed suit, occasionally glancing at Arin as he ate.
In no time at all, Arin had finished his meal and was preparing to leave.
"Huh? Already?" Lina muttered, her eyes widening in surprise.
She was only halfway through her meal, yet Arin was already done. "We started eating at the same time…"
Arin adjusted his uniform, glancing at her. "Well, it's not my fault you're a slow eater."
Lina pouted, "I'm not a slow eater."
"Whatever," Arin muttered as he stood up. "I'm heading out now. Bye."
"Wait… You're leaving me h—" Lina tried to respond, but her mouth was full of food, and before she could swallow, Arin was already out of the cafeteria.
"What's up with him?" Lina murmured to herself.
Arin dipped his hands into his pockets as he made his way toward the main Academy building.
Classes would begin in a few minutes, so there was no point in lingering in the cafeteria.
As he walked, a blank expression masked his thoughts. 'If I'm right, it'll happen in about three hours.'
He reached the building and started climbing the stairs. 'I'll need to be there before it happens.'
The hallway was quieter, with fewer students around since most were still in the cafeteria.
'But before that, I need to stall him somehow,' Arin thought as he neared his classroom. 'I'll arrive before him, but that doesn't mean he won't show up.'
He had already formed a plan, so there was no need to worry. Everything just had to go according to plan.
Entering the classroom, Arin took his usual seat at the back, the same spot he had chosen earlier.
Slowly, the classroom filled up with students, and after a few minutes, everyone was seated.
The chatter continued as usual until Riya entered the room, causing the students to fall silent.
The Magic Theory class went smoothly, and afterward, they all headed to the dorms to change into their training clothes before going to the Weapon class.
Just as Arin had anticipated, the training uniform was tight, but it didn't restrict his movements.
The Weapon training class also proceeded without any issues, with the students practicing how to properly wield swords and other weapons.
Finally, the day's classes were over, and the students started leaving, including Arin.
He walked down the stairs of the main Academy building, returned to his room, and changed back into his regular uniform before heading out again.
'One hour left…' he thought, his eyes narrowing as he gazed toward the distant forest.
He passed by the main Academy building, and as he approached the forest, he pulled out a mask from his inventory and slipped it on.
Entering the forest, he made his way to the clearing, where, as expected, Tessa was standing, her arms folded.
Her eyes were distant, lost in thought.
"Tessa," Arin called out, his voice slightly muffled by the mask.
In an instant, she turned to face him, her eyes sharp.
"Chaos…" she muttered as soon as she saw the mask. Her sharp expression softened as she looked at him.
Before she could say anything else, Arin spoke up. "I need you to do something…"