As Samantha and Cassandra made their way back to their dormitory, both were completely lost in their own thoughts.
Each of them was reflecting on everything they had heard from Trey, as well as his proposal of a sham marriage.
On one hand, they felt relieved.
For the first time in their lives, an opportunity had appeared before them to choose their own future.
But on the other hand, everything about this went against everything they had been taught since childhood.
For the first time, both of them had met a representative of another race—or rather, a half-elf—who was completely indifferent to their origin and status.
Many would have been willing to kill for the chance to become their husbands.
But Trey had no interest in either the power they could offer him or the influence of their families.
"Do you think we can trust him?" Samantha asked quietly, turning her head toward Cassandra.
Just like Samantha, Cassandra was in exactly the same position.
"Do we have any other choice?" Cassandra replied thoughtfully, not taking her eyes off the road. "The fact that he offered us such an option and partially revealed the truth about himself already says a lot about how much he trusts us."
She fell silent for a moment.
"Perhaps by the end of our studies, he'll still decide to perform the marriage ritual. But by then, at least we'll have time to understand his character and learn who he really is."
Samantha said nothing.
Just as Cassandra had said, they practically had no choice.
Unless they wanted to face an even greater humiliation—being rejected by a half-elf.
Letting out a heavy sigh, Samantha glanced toward the elite dormitory and quickened her pace to catch up with Cassandra.
They still had time to understand him and perhaps find a way out of this dead-end situation.
Three months had passed since the ranking duel.
Gradually, the academy's biggest topic began losing its relevance.
Though at first, I couldn't leave the dormitory without feeling dozens of gazes fixed on me.
The first months of study passed relatively peacefully.
Most of the classes were introductory in nature.
History, geography, racial cultural studies, and many other disciplines.
We were getting acquainted with the professors, and they with us.
We were immediately informed that every few months, the list of subjects would expand, allowing everyone to choose the fields that interested them the most.
The academy didn't have mandatory and optional lessons in the conventional sense.
Each stufon decided for themselves which classes to attend.
My relationship with the class remained just as strained.
Hardly anyone spoke to me.
Then again, I had no desire to shorten the distance myself.
Sometimes, Keyrin, Samantha, Cassandra, and I would go into the city.
We walked around, spent time together, talked, and gradually got to know each other better.
Over time, I began noticing how their initial fear was slowly fading.
They were still cautious around me, but the previous tension was already gone.
Keyrin and I also hadn't forgotten about our own plan to search for information about techniques.
However, it quickly became clear that most known techniques had long since fallen into the possession of empires and kingdoms.
Truly unknown ones could only have been recently created by someone—or be hidden within the forgotten capitals of the five vanished races.
After studying the map, Keyrin and I concluded that the most reasonable course of action was to begin with the nearest devastated lands.
Our first destination was supposed to be the capital of the alves.
It was relatively close and seemed the most accessible for an initial expedition.
We decided to head there in a few months, once the general holidays began.
During this time, Keyrin and I also came to understand each other better.
Little by little, we started figuring out each other's personalities and growing accustomed to living together.
For a while, I even got lost in the peaceful rhythm of academy life.
And I almost forgot how cRu'El this world could be the moment you relaxed even a little.
I woke up because the emblem on my uniform had started absorbing magic.
Opening my eyes sharply, I quickly looked around, expecting that someone had accidentally activated the uniform's protective enchantment.
But after making sure no one was nearby, I shifted my gaze to the emblem.
It was softly glowing, signaling a new message from the professors or deans.
Relaxing, I touched it.
A magical message immediately appeared before me.
stufon Trey.
First-year stufons enrolled in Class A-01.
Specialization: Combat Magic.
Element: Darkness.
Required courses for exams and credits in the first semester:
Higher Magic Course (lecture / seminar)
Monster Studies Course (lecture / seminar)
History of Magic Course (lecture)
Combat Magic in Battle Course (lecture / seminar)
Antidotes Course (lecture / seminar)
Seeing the list of disciplines, I slowly raised a brow.
Half of them caused me neither anxiety nor any particular concern.
Especially History of Magic.
As a prince, I had been taught that since childhood, so with sufficient caution, I shouldn't attract unnecessary attention.
Though considering everything that had already happened, talking about "unnecessary attention" was fairly ironic.
After checking how much time remained before the first class began, I headed for the shower.
Just as I was about to open the bathroom door, I remembered that I no longer lived alone.
After making sure the light inside was off, I still went in and started taking a shower.
Once I was finished and about to leave, I noticed the bathroom door slowly opening.
"Wait, Keyrin, I'm coming out now, and then you can shower," I said quickly, worried I wouldn't manage to get dressed before she came in.
By the time the door fully opened, I had only managed to put on my trousers.
My shirt was still lying nearby.
Lifting my gaze, I saw a sleepy Keyrin.
She was wearing a white semi-transparent nightgown.
If one wished, it wasn't difficult to make out the curves of her body beneath it, but I almost immediately looked away and fixed my eyes on the door instead.
"And you won't even look?" Keyrin asked with faint amusement. "I thought after yesterday's conversation with my sister and Cassandra, a certain interest might awaken in you."
She stood in the doorway with her hands on her waist, speaking in an openly teasing tone.
I involuntarily recalled yesterday's conversation.
Cassandra really had tried once again to suggest performing the marriage ritual, but as before, I refused.
I still didn't understand why she was so fixated on it.
"Keyrin, what are you doing? Are you still half-asleep or something?" I asked in confusion, trying to find at least some rational explanation for her behavior.
I tried not to lower my gaze, but my cursed half-elf eyesight was working entirely against me right now.
"In case you forgot, I saw your memories. Before you became a half-elf, and after," Keyrin suddenly said quietly, no longer playful as she slowly approached me.
Sadness appeared in her voice.
"I saw how you changed after awakening your first power."
She stopped directly in front of me.
"That means when you awaken light, you'll change too."
Her voice trembled.
"And everyone who knows you now won't be able to recognize you anymore."
I listened silently.
"That's why you offered them a five-year sham marriage," she continued, barely holding back her emotions. "You think your sphere will fill before then."
There were almost tears in her voice now.
"When you become a light elf, you'll simply take on another identity, another name... and no one will ever know Trey again."
She fell silent, standing in front of me.
I looked into her violet eyes and finally saw what she had been trying to hide all this time.
Pain.
Unspoken, yet painfully obvious.
And the worst part was that she was right.
I truly did assume that after awakening the light element, I would turn into a light elf.
And then Trey's identity would effectively disappear.
No one would ever believe that a dark half-elf could become a pureblood light elf.
Something like that would raise far too many questions.
And I had no need for those answers.
"You're right," I admitted calmly. "I really do assume that after awakening the light element, I may change and become a light elf. I don't know exactly how it works."
I paused briefly.
"But you can relax. I won't leave you."
I meant it sincerely.
Even I wasn't entirely sure why.
Perhaps because of the pain I had seen in her eyes.
Or perhaps because I truly needed someone who knew the real me.
Human, elf—it didn't matter.
Someone who knew more than everyone else.
"Do you swear?" Keyrin asked seriously, staring into me as if trying to bore through my soul.
"I swear I won't abandon you," I replied just as seriously and extended my hand toward her.
For several seconds, she stared at it before extending her own.
We sealed the promise with a handshake.
"I believe you," Keyrin said, sounding calmer now.
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"But I'm very disappointed that you still didn't look down. You can't stay innocent forever."
The last words were almost whispered directly into my ear.
Before I could come up with a response, Keyrin had already stepped back, left the bathroom, and closed the door behind her.
I could only let out a deep sigh and shake my head.
If she kept behaving like this, I wasn't sure how much longer I'd be able to maintain my composure.
After getting dressed, I left the bathroom.
Noticing that the kitchen light was on, I decided to check inside.
What had happened in the bathroom clearly shouldn't be repeated in the kitchen.
Entering, I saw Keyrin brewing tea.
"Today's your first day with required subjects?" she asked without turning around.
"Yes," I replied. "After that, I'll probably meet up with your sister and Cassandra."
I paused briefly.
"And I have a task for you as well."
After those words, I felt as though the temperature in the room shifted slightly.
For a second, I even wondered when exactly she had developed such strong emotions toward me, but I almost immediately pushed the thought aside.
Now wasn't the time.
"What task?" Keyrin asked, turning to face me.
I mentally exhaled.
The pain I had seen in her eyes just minutes ago was gone.
"I want you to think through when it would be best for us to head to the abandoned lands," I explained. "I can't keep using techniques and the fighting style of the Kray Empire if I don't want to attract even more attention."
This way, I was trying to solve two problems at once: keep her occupied and gather information about possible techniques.
"Alright. I'll think about when it would be best for us to leave the academy during the holidays so we can return before they end," Keyrin nodded.
"Excellent. But try not to tell your sister or Cassandra about our plans."
I didn't want the girls to know about our journey to the capital of the alves.
They could very well try to tag along.
Neither Keyrin nor I intended to expose them to that kind of danger.
Keyrin grew thoughtful and fell silent for a moment.
It was obvious that, just like me, she had no desire to drag them into all of this.
"According to legend, sword techniques the world has never seen before are stored there," she said thoughtfully, looking at me with a serious gaze. "Which means someone—or something—could very well still be guarding them. We need to think everything through carefully and gather more information. Perhaps some merchant acquaintances of mine can help."
Trying not to focus too much on her intense stare, I attempted to recall everything I knew about the alves.
Unlike elves, they were humanoid but possessed wings that allowed them to fly.
There were no mages among them.
Only swordsmen.
"Wasn't the alves' capital looted after their disappearance?" I asked.
As far as I remembered, nearly all capitals of the fallen races had been plundered, with the discovered resources divided among the survivors.
"Yes and no," Keyrin replied. "The capital was looted, but the royal castle was never opened or destroyed."
She narrowed her eyes slightly.
"That's exactly why the legend exists—that unique sword techniques are still stored inside."
I listened in silence.
"Many have tried to enter," she continued. "But none of those who went inside ever returned."
And all the while, she kept looking at me with that very same gaze that sent goosebumps across my skin.
"And you're suggesting we go there specifically?" I clarified, taking a couple of steps back just in case.
"Yes," Keyrin nodded calmly. "But not now. You're still far too weak."
A barely noticeable smile appeared on her lips.
"So first, I'll try to gather more information about this legend."
After those words, her gaze finally returned to normal.
After discussing a few more details and finishing our tea, I headed to my first lecture on the history of magic.