The academy grounds were unusually quiet as we left the battlefield, the lingering tension of the trial still fresh in my mind. Even with Claire's constant chatter about food, Diana's occasional teasing remarks, and Tessa's sighs of exhaustion, my thoughts were elsewhere.
Ms. Liora's words wouldn't leave me alone.
"This is only the beginning."
I had no idea what she had meant, but the way she had looked at me—like she was already certain of what was coming—sent a deep unease curling in my stomach.
Lillian walked beside me, her presence calm, as if she weren't the least bit bothered by what had just happened.
I wasn't sure if I envied her or if it frustrated me.
"You're thinking too much again," Lillian murmured, her voice just low enough for only me to hear.
I didn't look at her. How could I not think about it? The weight of everything—the trials, the North Gate, the shifting dynamics between us all—it was impossible to ignore. "Hard not to," I muttered.
Lillian let out a quiet hum, the sound thoughtful. "The situation at the North Gate is probably on everyone's mind." Her voice was as composed as ever, but I caught the faintest flicker of something beneath it—hesitation, unease. "Even if we don't say it out loud, we all know it's only a matter of time before it becomes something we can't avoid."
I stiffened slightly.
The North Gate.
It had been a lingering shadow in the back of my mind for days now. It wasn't just an isolated problem anymore—there were signs of something bigger, something more orchestrated than just wild monsters breaching the borders. And the academy knew it too.
Our training, the increased focus on combat and strategy—everything had been pushing us toward one thing: preparing for a fight that wasn't just theoretical.
But when?How soon before the academy was forced to step in?
How soon before we were dragged into it?
Lillian's gaze remained fixed ahead, her voice quieter now. "But things will get better. I hope."
The way she said it—it wasn't just optimism.
It was something fragile, like she didn't entirely believe it herself.
That threw me off.
Lillian Aurora never sounded uncertain.
Even in battle, even when she was at a disadvantage, she was always certain of her actions. She always had control.
So why did she sound like she was trying to convince herself?
I hesitated, unsure if I should respond.
But before I could, she added, "For now, at least, let's be glad that the trials are over and that we're not still in the training facility."
That made me exhale. Right. The facility.
It hadn't been weeks, but it had been intense.
The brutal combat exercises, the nonstop drills, the forced cooperation—we had been thrown into a pressure cooker designed to push us to our limits.
Even now, my body still ached from the relentless sparring, from the nights spent practicing my magic, my swordplay, my endurance.
I had trained under my father before, but this had been different.
It had been about survival.
Claire had barely survived without breaking something.Tessa had complained constantly, muttering about how this was just legalized torture.Diana, of course, had thrived.
And me?
I had changed.
I wasn't just the Sera Vandren who had wanted to avoid everything anymore.
I wasn't just the villainess trying to step out of the story's way.
I had fought. I had led a team. I had won.
That realization hit me harder than I expected.
Had I ever thought I would make it this far?
Had I ever thought I would be here, standing among them, not as an outsider, but as someone who belonged?
Lillian must have caught something in my expression because she suddenly asked, "Did you ever think you'd make it this far?"
I turned to her, startled by the question. "What?"
Lillian's gaze was steady, unreadable. "When you first arrived here—when everything started—did you ever believe you'd be here, after everything, with us?"
My breath caught.
She wasn't just asking about the trial.
She was asking about everything.
The original Sera Vandren.The story I had been thrown into.The role I was supposed to play—the villainess who was meant to fall.
I swallowed, suddenly feeling the weight of it all pressing down on me.
If someone had asked me that question back then, when I first woke up in this world—I would have said no.
I would have laughed at the idea of surviving this long.
But now?
I glanced at the others.
Claire was laughing at something Diana had said, her usual carefree energy filling the space around her. Tessa looked tired but content, and Camille was simply listening, quiet but present.
And Lillian?
Lillian was still watching me.
Waiting.
I turned my gaze toward the academy buildings in the distance. The sky was soft, fading into gold, the shadows stretching longer across the courtyard.
"I don't know," I admitted finally. "But I'm still here."
Lillian's lips curled slightly. "Yes. You are."
She didn't say anything else.
But somehow, it felt like she had been waiting for that answer all along.
The warmth of the late afternoon sun stretched across the academy courtyard, casting soft shadows against the polished stone paths. Even though the trials had ended, the tension hadn't fully left my body.
I was still thinking about Lillian's words.
"Did you ever think you'd make it this far?"
"I don't know. But I'm still here."
There was something about that conversation that unsettled me, but I couldn't quite put my finger on why.
Maybe it was because Lillian had been waiting for that answer.
Or maybe it was because I hadn't even realized it myself—just how much I had changed.
Before I could get too lost in my thoughts, Claire clapped her hands together. "Okay! Enough standing around like dramatic protagonists. I refuse to end the day on a serious note. We're celebrating."
I raised an eyebrow. "You've already said that."
"Yeah, but this time, it's happening." She pointed at me. "No brooding. No running away. We're getting dessert, and you're coming with us, and that's final."
I sighed, but I didn't argue.
Because honestly?
I needed a break.
We all did.
Diana chuckled, brushing a strand of golden hair behind her ear. "I agree. It would be a shame to waste this perfect afternoon doing anything other than indulging ourselves."
Camille folded her arms, tilting her head slightly. "I don't see the harm in it."
Tessa just let out a sigh. "As long as Claire doesn't try to start an eating competition, fine."
Claire gasped in offense. "That happened one time."
"It was two times," Tessa corrected.
"Okay, well, the second time was a warm-up."
Camille rolled her eyes, but there was a slight upward curve to her lips.
Lillian, who had been silent, finally spoke. "There's a café in the west courtyard. It's quieter than the main hall."
Claire's eyes lit up. "Oh! That one with the pastries that look too pretty to eat?"
Lillian nodded. "That's the one."
Diana hummed. "A lovely choice. Let's go before Sera changes her mind and runs off to train again."
I shot her a look. "I don't train that much."
Camille, Tessa, and Claire all stared at me.
Even Lillian gave me a knowing glance.
I groaned. "Fine. Let's go."
Claire cheered, grabbing my arm and pulling me forward. "See? That wasn't so hard, was it?"
I chose to ignore her.
The café was tucked away in a more peaceful part of the academy, nestled between ivy-covered buildings with a perfect view of the sky through arched windows. A soft, warm light filled the space, blending with the scent of freshly brewed tea and sugar-dusted pastries.
It was quieter than the usual student gathering spots, with only a few others sitting at nearby tables.
As soon as we stepped inside, Claire immediately made a beeline for the glass display of desserts. "Okay, we're getting everything."
Tessa pinched the bridge of her nose. "We are not getting everything."
"Fine. Everything except that weird-looking one in the corner."
Diana placed an elegant hand on her hip. "Why don't we start with a few and see how we feel?"
Claire pouted. "That's what a responsible person would say. But fine."
Lillian had already stepped forward, speaking to the attendant with the same poised ease she always carried. Within moments, we were settled at a table near the windows, a selection of desserts spread out before us.
It was the first time in a while that things felt… normal.
No battles.No trials.No talks of the North Gate.
Just the six of us, sitting together like any other group of students, enjoying the quiet moment before whatever came next.
I didn't realize how much I had needed this.
Lillian, seated beside me, sipped her tea gracefully, her eyes flickering toward me briefly.
"Do you feel better now?" she asked.
I hesitated.
Then, after a moment, I let out a slow breath.
"Yeah," I admitted. "A little."
Lillian smiled faintly. "Good."
The warm scent of vanilla and cinnamon lingered in the air, blending with the faint aroma of tea as quiet chatter surrounded us. The soft clinking of silverware against porcelain filled the space, creating a rare sense of peace that I hadn't realized I'd been craving.
I had just started to relax when suddenly—I felt a presence settle beside me.
Before I could react, Camille sat down smoothly, her movements as elegant and unhurried as always.
Then, without a single word of warning, she casually leaned in, resting her head on my shoulder while taking another bite of her pastry.
I froze.
The warmth of her presence, the soft weight of her against me, caught me completely off guard.
I glanced at her, but she didn't seem the least bit concerned about what she had just done. She chewed thoughtfully, her cool, ice-blue eyes focused on her dessert, as if this was the most natural thing in the world.
"…What are you doing?" I asked slowly, my voice caught between confusion and mild panic.
Camille blinked up at me, completely unfazed. "Eating."
"That's not what I meant."
She swallowed her bite before tilting her head slightly, her hair brushing against my arm. "You seem comfortable."
I stiffened. "I was."
"Good," she said simply, resting against me a little more.
What.
Claire, who had been in the middle of taking a sip of her drink, nearly choked.
Tessa's spoon paused halfway to her mouth.
Diana raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.
Lillian?
She didn't say anything.
But she was watching.
Closely.
Too closely.
I shifted slightly, trying to figure out how to react to Camille's sudden lack of personal space, but she didn't budge. If anything, she just settled in more comfortably.
"You're tense," she murmured, taking another bite of her pastry. "You should relax."
I let out a sharp breath. "That's kind of difficult when someone is using me as a pillow."
Camille made a thoughtful sound, as if considering that. Then, in the most deadpan tone imaginable, she said—
"I don't see the problem."
Claire burst into laughter.
"Oh my god, Sera, your face—"
Tessa sighed, shaking her head. "I don't think she's going to move, Sera. Just accept your fate."
Diana took a slow sip of her tea, her emerald eyes gleaming with mischief as she peered over the rim of her cup. She looked entirely at ease, as if she hadn't just been watching the entire situation unfold like an entertaining performance.
Then, with the kind of casual grace that only Diana Hayes could pull off, she said—
"How fascinating. Perhaps I should lay on Sera's lap next."
I choked on air.
"WHAT?!"
Claire, who had just recovered from her earlier fit of laughter, immediately lost it again, nearly tipping over her chair in the process. Tessa's spoon clattered against her plate as she covered her face with one hand, muttering something about "this is getting ridiculous."
Lillian—who, up until now, had been eerily silent—set down her teacup with deliberate precision.
Camille, who was still very much using me as a personal pillow, lifted her gaze just slightly. "That would be inconvenient."
Diana tilted her head, clearly entertained. "For who?"
Camille didn't even blink. "For Sera."
Diana laughed. "Oh? And not for you?"
Camille took another slow, thoughtful bite of her pastry, her expression as blank as ever. "No."
Diana gave me a pointed look. "Well? What do you think, dear Sera? Should I test out how comfortable your lap is?"
I couldn't even process.
Camille was still leaning against me like this was completely normal, Claire was crying from laughter, Tessa had checked out of reality, and now Diana was offering to use me as some kind of noblewoman's chaise lounge?
This was too much.
I threw my hands up. "WHY is this even a discussion?!"
Diana smirked, her voice like silk. "Why not?"
"BECAUSE—" I gestured wildly at Camille, who was still attached to my shoulder. "I AM ALREADY BEING USED AS FURNITURE."
"Then clearly, you're comfortable enough," Diana said smoothly.
I was going to combust.
Claire wheezed. "Oh gods, Sera, I think you're gonna die."
Lillian, still too quiet, finally exhaled, tilting her head slightly as she regarded Diana. "Don't be ridiculous."
For a second, I thought she was saving me.
Then, with an air of complete nonchalance, she added—
"If anyone should test Sera's lap, it should be me."
The entire table went dead silent.
My soul left my body.
Claire collapsed onto the table, wheezing. Tessa, looking like she wanted to be anywhere else, just rubbed her temples aggressively. Camille? Completely unbothered, still eating.
And Diana?
Diana simply grinned.
"Now that," she mused, "sounds like a challenge."
I needed an escape. Immediately.