Noon – Academy Canteen

  The scent of roasted meat and baked bread filled the air as students buzzed through the dining hall. Ethan sat at one of the corner tables, chewing on a piece of grilled chicken, when Daniel and Oliver approached with their trays in hand.

  Daniel was the first to speak, his eyes narrowing with amusement. “Hey, Ethan… what happened to your neck?”

  “Yeah,” Oliver added, setting his tray down across from him. “You get mauled by something? Or is that just the new fashion statement?”

  Ethan, trying to act nonchant, reached up and patted the rge square of white bandage stuck just below his jaw. “It’s nothing. Just a bite.”

  “A bite?” Daniel leaned in, unconvinced. “From what? A wyvern?”

  “Probably a bug,” Ethan said with a shrug, hoping they’d drop the subject.

  Oliver snorted. “That must’ve been one hell of a bug. Did it have fangs?”

  “Like, ‘rip-a-chunk-of-you-off’ kind of bug?” Daniel added, wiggling his fingers like cws.

  “Can we not?” Ethan grumbled, stabbing a carrot with unnecessary force. “Anyway—how was the test?”

  The two exchanged smug grins and raised their thumbs in unison. “Pass,” they said together.

  Ethan brightened. “Nice! Congrats. Did you get the new circution method already?”

  Daniel blinked. “Circution what?”

  “The new mana flow technique,” Ethan crified. “Didn’t the professor give you one as a reward?”

  Oliver shook his head. “Nope. We just passed the standard test. No mention of anything else.”

  “Huh…” Ethan leaned back. So maybe it’s a first-pass reward only? Either way, it meant he had to keep his performance sharp. Missing out on something like that could bite him ter.

  Speaking of bites…

  Oliver picked up his drink and sipped thoughtfully. “So… new potion crafting css today. You guys excited?”

  Daniel groaned. “Ugh. I’ve got a bad feeling about it. Feels like another Math css in disguise. Or worse—History.”

  Ethan chuckled. “Rex. It’s just like cooking. Follow the recipe and don’t blow anything up.”

  Then he gave Daniel a sly grin. “But if you do need help… I’m avaible. For a price, of course.”

  Daniel looked wounded. “You’re seriously charging me? Aren’t we supposed to be friends?”

  “Friendship and business are two separate things,” Ethan replied smoothly. “And if you recall, you still haven’t paid me back for the double date.”

  Daniel groaned and dropped his head to the table. “Why is my life always so expensive?”

  Before he could fake a dramatic escape, two familiar figures approached the table—Cra and Fiona, each carrying trays of their own.

  “Afternoon, boys,” Cra greeted, taking the seat beside Daniel.

  Fiona slid into the spot next to Ethan, her eyes immediately locking onto the bandage on his neck. Her lips curled into a mischievous smile.

  “Well, well. That’s a nice bite mark you’ve got there. Who’s the lucky girl?”

  Ethan nearly choked on his drink. “It’s not what you think.”

  Daniel, now fully connecting the dots, turned wide-eyed. “Wait. Wait. That bite—are you serious!? Damn, man! When were you gonna tell us!?”

  Cra, meanwhile, sighed deeply. “I thought you were a good boy, Ethan.”

  “I am a good boy!” Ethan protested.

  She gave him a look so maternal it made him shrink in his seat. “This is a pce for training and discipline, not for… fooling around.”

  “I didn’t—! It’s not like that!”

  “Just be careful,” she added gently. “And maybe keep that kind of thing off Academy grounds?”

  Face red as a tomato, Ethan stood up, grabbing the st of his lunch. “You know what? I’m heading to the infirmary. I need a proper healing potion before this rumor turns into a full-blown novel.”

  Fiona gave him a pyful wave. “Tell the nurse it was a very passionate bug.”

  “Good luck expining that,” Daniel added, grinning from ear to ear.

  As Ethan stomped off, muttering curses under his breath, Daniel leaned toward Oliver.

  “So… does that mean Misha—?”

  "Oh! I smell gossip! Tell us more about that!" Fiona said with a smirk.

  “Fiona, you really- Haah~ here we go again...” Cra sighed, shaking her head.

  Ethan knocked on the infirmary door, already bracing for the familiar scent of antiseptic herbs and the even more familiar sting of Professor Alric’s lectures. No answer came, but the door was slightly ajar.

  He pushed it open.

  As expected, the room was quiet—save for the steady scratching of a quill on parchment. Professor Alric sat hunched behind his cluttered desk, nose nearly buried in paperwork, his old spectacles banced at the tip of his nose.

  Without even looking up, the old man spoke.“Let me guess. Another reckless duel? Or did you fall off the roof this time?”

  “…Neck wound,” Ethan muttered, rubbing the bandaged spot with a wince.

  Alric raised an eyebrow, finally gncing at him. His gaze narrowed.“Neck wound, he says. Stop wasting my time. Remove the bandage and let me have a look.”

  Ethan obeyed, peeling the cloth away. The deep bite mark stood out, unmistakably human.

  Alric leaned in, examining it with a professional eye.“Hmph. No fangs—so it’s not a vampire. No signs of rot… so not a zombie either.”Then, with the tired exhale of a man who’d seen too much of life, he muttered,“That leaves one option: love affair.”

  “S-Sir! It’s not—!”

  “Save it.” Alric cut him off, shaking his head. “I was patching up bruised lovers before your parents were born. Don’t think I haven’t seen this before.”

  He stood slowly, walking toward one of the many cluttered shelves.“Listen, boy. Whatever you’re doing, keep it in moderation. Right now, your job is to train and survive this academy. Don’t ruin some poor girl’s life just because you’re drowning in first love.”

  He rummaged briefly, pulled out a small corked vial, and handed it to Ethan.“Give this to her. Just in case. As for you—hold still.”

  Before Ethan could protest further, the professor raised his hand, conjuring a stream of glowing runes. They swirled in the air before unching a soft pulse of light at Ethan’s neck. Warmth spread across his skin—and just like that, the pain was gone.

  Ethan touched the spot. The wound had vanished.“…Thank you, Professor.”

  He bowed, turned, and was halfway to the door when a firm hand nded on his shoulder.

  “Where do you think you’re going, boy?”

  Ethan froze.

  “You forgot to pay for your treatment.”

  “…Eh? Pay?”

  “Of course. This isn’t a cssroom injury. Personal business, personal bill.”

  “How much…?” Ethan asked, bracing himself.

  “One hundred silver for the healing spell. Three hundred for the potion.”

  “Three—?! That much!?”

  “You’re lucky I’m charging you by cost of materials. If you bought that potion on the market, it’d be fifteen hundred silver. Minimum.”

  Ethan looked at the potion, then back at Alric.“I-I don’t even need it! It’s a misunderstanding! It was just a payback prank, that’s all!”

  “Hm,” Alric said with a raised brow. “Then it’s just one-fifty.”

  “…Wait, wasn’t it one hundred?”

  “Do you want it to be two hundred?”

  “…No sir. One-fifty’s perfect.” Ethan groaned and fished through his wallet, handing over the coins. “Here.”

  “Go d.” Alric took the payment, then waved him off. “Now get out. And remember what I said.”