Earlier that day
Aliya could still feel the flutter in her chest from earlier that morning. For the first time since arriving at the Academy, she had finally made what felt like a real friend. The day had been long, filled with orientation speeches, the long shuttle ride here, and the exhausting chaos of thousands of new students being sorted into their courses and dorms. By the time Leo departed in front of her assigned room, she only wanted to collapse onto her bed and breathe for a moment.
She pushed the door open—only to freeze.
Someone was already inside.
A girl with short, wind-tousled silver hair looked up from where she sat cross-legged on the bed. Her suitcase was already neatly unpacked, clothes folded with almost military precision. The girl tilted her head, eyes gleaming with curiosity.
"Done with your boyfriend?"
Aliya's heart jumped so violently she almost dropped her bag. "He—Leo isn't my boyfriend," she stammered, heat rushing to her cheeks. "He's just… a friend."
The girl's lips curled into an amused smile as she rose from the bed. She walked forward with a lightness that almost made it seem like she was floating—fitting, considering her element, Aliya later realized. Aliya straightened, attempting to reclaim her dignity, and held out a hand.
"I'm Aliya."
"I already know who you are," the girl said, shaking her head with a grin. "Who doesn't know Aliya Jacobs? The heiress to the Jacobs fortune. Daughter of the leader of the powerful Jacobs faction."
Aliya blinked, stunned. She wasn't used to people saying it so casually. Back home, people either tip-toed around her status or behaved awkwardly polite. Here, this girl was smiling like it was just a fun fact she pulled from a book.
The girl laughed at Aliya's expression and finally offered her own name. "I'm Mary. Wind elementalist, mid Tier-1. Your new roommate, obviously."
Aliya relaxed, warmth spreading through her chest as she repeated the name in her mind. Mary. A friend? Possibly. Hopefully. She didn't want to get ahead of herself… but maybe this year wouldn't be so lonely after all.
They spent the next few minutes sorting out where their things would go. Mary claimed the bed near the balcony—"for the breeze," she said—and Aliya chose the one closer to the door. The room wasn't huge, but it had a clean, modern feel: pale wooden floors, simple white walls, and glass windows that let in golden rays of the setting sun.
As they arranged their space, Aliya's mind betrayed her. She kept remembering the moment earlier when Mary teased her about Leo and called him her "boyfriend" .
She had panicked at the time… but now, alone in the room—well, not alone, but with Mary focused on folding shirts—she found herself thinking about him again.
Leo.
His calm black eyes that seemed to hold all the mysteries of the world. The way he listened—really listened—when she spoke. The steady, quiet confidence that made him seem older or wiser than he actually was. And the strange, warm comfort he gave off even when he wasn't trying. It wasn't fair, she thought, how someone could be both mysterious and reassuring at the same time.
"He is cute…" Aliya whispered without realizing.
A light blush crept up her face.
Mary didn't miss it.
The wind elementalist turned slowly, squinting at her with a cat-like grin. "You're thinking about him right now. Aren't you?"
Aliya's entire body tensed. "N-No! Why would I be doing that?" she said quickly, maybe too quickly, her cheeks now glowing red. She shook her head so fast her braids nearly slapped her shoulders.
Mary raised an eyebrow. "Sure."
"He's just a good friend of mine," Aliya insisted, trying to steady her voice. She lifted her chin, attempting to appear calm and composed.
But her ears were still red.
If Leo had been there, he would've blinked in confusion, scratched the back of his head, and asked in that blunt way of his:
"Since when was that the case?"
The thought made Aliya's face burn even hotter.
Mary flopped onto her bed, kicking her legs back and forth, studying Aliya with open curiosity. "You know," she said casually, "I saw you two walking earlier. You looked comfortable together."
Aliya shook her head again, though her tone softened. "He's really just my friend. That's all."
"Mm-hmm," Mary hummed. "But you like him."
Aliya's hands froze above her half-unpacked suitcase. She didn't answer. She wasn't sure she could answer. She could not understand how she felt towards him
Mary didn't push. Instead, she leaned back, folding her arms behind her head as a gentle breeze drifted through the slightly open balcony door. "Well," she said, "whatever he is to you… I'm glad you're not alone here. I'm glad we're roommates."
Aliya looked up, surprised at how sincere Mary sounded.
For a moment, a soft, unspoken comfort settled between them. The Academy was huge—intimidating, even. With students from every faction, every power level, and every part of the alliance, it felt like a different world entirely. But in this small room, Aliya felt safe.
"Yeah," she said quietly, a smile forming. "Me too."
As night began to fall, the two girls talked about their first impressions of the school, their classes, what to expect from combat instructors, and the rumors surrounding the upper-tier students. At some point, Mary began demonstrating a harmless wind trick—sending a tiny breeze twirling around the room. Aliya found herself laughing more freely than she had in weeks.
By the time they finally settled into their beds, Aliya stared up at the ceiling, exhaling softly.
Tomorrow would be another long day filled with training, classes, and probably more chaos. But she already felt lighter.
She had Leo.
She had Mary.
And maybe… just maybe… she was starting to find her place here.
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