A/N: ^^What Ryn and Alex looks like talking^^

  “So that’s why there is a random elven girl in our dorm room?” Alex asked, rubbing his temple.

  “Yep! That sums it up,” I replied with a nont shrug. “I needed an assistant, and she was for hire, so I decided to use her services.”

  Alex narrowed his eyes. “Sureeee, that expins the random e you put ihtub st night.”

  I stiffened. “Oh. I. Uh… Yeah…” (How does he know about that? My pn was good!—Maybe I squeeze myself out of this one? Ugh. What a headache!)

  I could always ki—No Ryn you ot kill your friends

  Alex sighed. “You should probably wake her up its improper to watch a dy sleep”

  “I’m aware.” I turoward Elnora who was sleeping soundly in my bed.

  “Elnora?”

  A small grunt, then a flicker of movement. Her eyes fluttered open—vivid, green—and the moment they locked eyes with mine she raised up.

  “RYN!”

  Before I react, she unches herself at me, ing her arms around my waist in a tight embrace.

  “Hey! Get off me” I yell, trying to pry her off.

  Alex burst into ughter. “What an iing assistant.”

  I sigh, finally freeing myself from her grip. “e on Elnora.” “We o get yister as a student and assistant.”

  “But breakfast!” She pouts.

  Alex, ever the enabler, appears from the kit, a pte bang from his right hand. “Here. Eat some of these leftriffin eggs.”

  Elnora’s face lights up as she takes the pte eagerly. “Thank you for the food!” She yells out. As she begins to shovel the food in her mouth with no room to breathe.

  “MHH! MHH!” She moans through a mouthful of food. “Thisa SOA Gwouod!”

  Don’t talk with your mouth full! I reply correg her mannerism.

  She swallows with haste. “I’m sorry I haveen in quite some time”

  I sigh. “Are you ready now Elnora?”

  Elnora wipes her mouth with her handkerchief as she gets up from bed followi the door. Before the door shuts Alex calls out behind us.

  “You and I o talk ter Ryn!”

  “Sure, whatever.” I reply waving him off.

  The early m sun shines as Elnora walks a bit ahead of me taking on the sun which bathes the courtyard. Elnasps, spinning around in awe as she takes o spire and marble pilrs.

  “What a lovely atmosphere!” she excims, with sparkles in her eye.

  “e on, Elnora!”

  I quickly grab her hand; I lead her toward the registrar’s office. I don’t think much of the gesture but when I gnce bck, her face dusted with pink. Odd.

  Ihe office the receptionist behind the desk gives us a polite bow. “Good m, sir and ma’am.”

  “Good m! My name is Ryn Ashford from house Ashford, and I would like tister this dy here as my assistant and student.”

  “Yes, sir! We will get that done immediately.” “Please sign these papers”

  She pulls out an intimidating rge stack of papers. After some time, I take my stamp out to finalize the st dot. Which signifies Elnora’s status at Borealis.

  Thus, doing this she ot be harassed nor bothered by lesser nobility. Due to her being acquainted with me.

  “Alright! That should be everything” The receptionist says with a bow. “Now we only o capture her measurements for her clothing and assign a dorm.”

  “RYNNNNN!!”

  A vois behind us, and I immediately know that bubbly voice from anywhere.

  Oh heavens no.

  Lilli strides into the office. Her presence a force to be reed with. And of course, closely following behind her is Alex.

  “What been going on for the past few days” I sigh

  “Lilli! I told you not too—" Alex yells after her.

  “So, this is Elnora, I presume?” Lilli says putting her hands on her hips.

  “I-it’s a pleasure!” Elnora replied giving a slight bow.

  Lilli’s eyes narrow.

  “I’m unsure who you are, but Ryn is mine!” Elnora screams out.

  “THE WHAT!?” I blurt out loud, stumbling back a bit.

  The receptionist behind the desk lets out a small “Oh my…”

  “Elnora y-you ’t just make a statement like that” I hiss at her.

  “Oh? Why ’t I?” She ters with boldness.

  Lilli opens her mouth, then quickly closes it. Lost for words.

  That’s a rare sight to see

  Alex than sighs and turns to the receptionist. “So, what’s the verdict regarding the dotation?”

  “We just o assign her a room—”

  “She stay with me!” Lilli decres.

  That works for me! I replied quickly smiling

  One less headache to deal with ... thank you Lilli.

  Alright! “That’s all in order. Thank you, for your cooperation today!” The receptionist nods.

  Lilli grabs Elnora’s wrist and starts to take her out of the office.

  “e on Elnora, I’ll take you to our dorm!”

  “I-I didn't agree with this!…” Elnora says out loud as she is pulled along.

  Poor. Elnora... Having to deal with Lilli. As, not my problem.

  Just as the pair reaches the door, Elnora spins back suddenly.

  Then without hesitation, she quickly walks up to me, she leans in and presses a quick peto my cheek.

  My body locks up.

  The room goes silent.

  Lilli who is by the door blinks, looking as shocked as I felt.

  Alex lets out a small, teasing ugh.

  And then—my mind is interrupted

  "I apologize for that embarrassing dispy." Elnora's voice echos in my mind.

  I look around fused “Uh Elnora how are you in my head?”

  "I’ve created an internal e through telepathy. If you need anything, just let me know."

  O-okay…. What been with this m.

  As the two girls disappeared from sight. I still stood there, stuhe moment of Elniving me a pe the cheek repyed in my mind.

  What is this pitiful feeling. I don’t uand it.

  Alex. Watg me carefully lets out a big grin across his face. “Well since we have sometime before css starts let’s go do something.”

  I scowl “Shut up, Alex .”

  But as we leave the office, I find my hand periodically reag my cheek.

  Oh hell.

  As the two of us stepped outside of the registrar’s offid into the courtyard Alex, walks closely beside me, his arms crossed. His eyes flickering with amusement and frustration.

  “Mind telling me where you snuck off too st night?”

  I g him, keeping my fa?ade unreadable. “it’s like I told you. I was in the business for an assistant and—”

  “Really?” He cuts me off, sighing. “You’re still lying through your teeth with me?” “I get it, I guess.” He mutters then, he leans it, voice at a whisper. “Being the Reaper and all.”

  My breath catches. I found my eyes widen before I stopped myself.

  H-how does he—?

  “Shhh.. not here” he says, his tone calm and a smirk across his face telling me he’s enjoying this.

  “Let’s find somewhere more private?” He adds.

  I follow him through the courtyard my mind begins to race. Did he follow me? Was I leaked? No—that ’t be. My pn was fwless no room for error. A…

  Alex leads me into the nearby park on campus, guidihrough dense brushes of trees. The noise of the Academy fades, pces with the silence of the park. The, with a swirl of his finger, Alex mutters “Tranqui.”

  A subtle shimmer of light glitters the surrounding area. A sound proofing spell?

  How clever.

  He turns to me, his normal carefree grin repces with something sharper, something calg. Theakes a seat on the bench, crossing his legs like a noble would.

  “You must be w how I know you’re the Reaper?” he muses, his voice casual, but his eyes betray him. Theirs’s a spark of something that’s lingers in them. Satisfa?

  I say nothing, as he tio speak.

  “When you escaped into the underbelly of Idelia, I got a bit worried about my dear roommate.” he says, mogly pg a hand on his chest. “After all, you were ih for quite a while. And then, when I ied with that e of yours, I realized something odd—” His grind widens. “It had no mana signature.”

  Tch. He clicks his tongue.

  “My lineage” he tinues, “allows me to follow all mana—where it flows, where it disappears, and where it’s stolen.” “So, I simply followed your trail—and what did I find?” He leans forward. “The Reaper, bidding farewell to some nasty old man in a back alley-den.”

  His teeth grind slightly as he grins. It not a smile of victory—but rather a smile of someone who caught their friend doing something reckless.

  I exhale, my fa?ade slipped away. Theirs’s no way out of this.

  “What do you want?” My voice turning cold.

  I briefly sider my options. If I must, I dispose of him.

  Alex chuckles, “Don’t think about trying to kill me now. I don’t pn to sell a soul…after all we are friends.”

  He stands rolling his shoulders unbothered like it’s another casual chat. “To be fair I’ve always known you were strong. Strohan the professors even. You hide your mana well, but you could improve, at times it fluctuates.”

  My mind races. I mispced him. A pawn on my board had suddenly revealed itself to be something more ing.

  Then—whack.

  Alex punches my shoulder lightly. “That’s for lying to me,” he says shaking his head.

  I scowl.

  “From now on I’m joining you,” he decres. “What will I tell the administration when you end up dead?”

  However, there’s something in his voice that I noticed—something I’ve never seen from him befrief? No…something deeper.

  A/N: ^^Alex's facial expression^^

  “And why should I allow you?” I ask, narrowing my eyes. “What’s stopping me from saying no?”

  Alex tilts his head, then burst into a light chuckle. “Man, this side of you is ruthless.” His expression sharpness, his mana which fres blue—shifts into a vibrant pink, which swirled around him like a living thing.

  I haven’t seen this magic before

  “You’re not the only one keepis,” he says smoothly. “So? A secret for a secret. Now you finally trust me?”

  I stare at him.

  In my past life, I anded an army. A, in this world, I had no subordinate, no unit—no Phantoms t my ideals to life.

  Perhaps… I ge that now.

  “Fine,” I say at st. “But you must listen to everything I tell you.”

  “Sounds good to me.” Alex replied smiling

  We shake hands in the middle of the park, a silent pas between us.

  Distantly, the school bell rings whidicates first css is about to begin.

  Alex stretches, “Let’s get going.”

  I smirk.

  As we both walked to css.

  A/N: I hope everyone has ehe series thus far! If you have any questions (that are not spoilers) regarding the setting or plot just ask in the ents below and I'll reply with a spoilers tag!