Morning sunlight spread across the academy courtyard.
Birds chirped on the stone rooftops.
Students walked through the training grounds, chatting and preparing for their daily practice.
CLANG!
CLANG!
The sound of weapons clashing echoed faintly from the arena.
Near the entrance—
Iren walked toward the training field while stretching his shoulders.
His clothes were dry today.
But the memory of last night still lingered.
"…Falling into that lake was embarrassing."
He sighed.
At least no one saw it.
Or so he thought.
Just as he stepped into the arena—
A voice suddenly called out behind him.
"Well well…"
Iren stopped.
He slowly turned around.
Riven stood there with a wide grin.
Sylven stood beside him, trying very hard not to smile.
And Kael stood quietly behind them with his spear.
Iren frowned.
"…What?"
Riven crossed his arms.
"Oh nothing."
Sylven coughed.
"Yeah… nothing at all."
Iren narrowed his eyes.
"You two look suspicious."
Riven walked closer.
His grin only grew wider.
"So tell me something, Iren."
"What were you doing last night?"
For a moment—
Iren froze.
"…Training."
Riven nodded slowly.
"Right."
"Training."
Sylven bit his lip.
Trying not to laugh.
Riven continued.
"But I don't remember training involving…"
He paused dramatically.
"…falling into a lake."
Silence.
Iren's eyes widened.
"…You saw that?"
Riven raised both hands.
"Oh we saw everything."
Sylven finally burst out laughing.
"Sorry! I tried not to!"
Riven continued mercilessly.
"You ran straight toward the lake like a hero…"
He waved his arms dramatically.
"And then—"
SPLASH!!
Riven mimicked the fall perfectly.
Sylven held his stomach.
"Hahaha!"
"That sound was unforgettable!"
Iren rubbed his forehead.
"…Unbelievable."
Kael spoke calmly.
"You also inhaled water."
Riven immediately added,
"And then Lyra almost had to rescue you."
Sylven wiped tears from his eyes.
"I still remember your face when you came out of the water."
Riven laughed again.
"You looked like a drowned cat!"
Iren glared at them.
"…Do you three have a death wish?"
Riven smirked.
"Relax."
"We didn't tell anyone."
Sylven nodded quickly.
"Yeah!"
"But honestly…"
He tried to hold his laughter again.
"That was hilarious."
Riven leaned closer to Iren.
"So tell us something."
He whispered teasingly.
"Did Lyra save you… or were you planning to drown dramatically under the moonlight?"
Iren immediately replied.
"…Shut up."
Riven raised his hands in surrender.
"Alright, alright."
But his grin never disappeared.
Sylven looked toward the arena.
"Still… you should learn how to swim."
Riven nodded seriously.
"Yes."
"Especially if lakes are your natural enemy."
Iren sighed deeply.
"…I regret waking up today."
Riven suddenly clapped his hands.
CLAP!
"Well then!"
"If our hero of the lake is ready…"
He pointed toward the arena floor.
"How about some training?"
Iren slowly drew his sword.
SHING
"…Fine."
Riven drew his own blade instantly.
SHING!
Sylven stepped back nervously.
"Oh no."
Kael calmly walked to the side.
"This will not end peacefully."
Riven pointed his sword at Iren.
His grin returned.
"Let's see if you fight better on land than in water."
Iren's eyebrow twitched.
"…You're going into the lake next."
Riven laughed.
"Try it."
The morning sun shined over the arena.
Two swords pointed toward each other.
And behind them—
Sylven quietly whispered to Kael.
"…Do you think we pushed him too far?"
Kael answered calmly.
"…Yes."
A second later—
CLANG!!
The sparring match exploded into action.
And somewhere in the academy—
Lyra suddenly sneezed.
"ACHOO!"
She frowned slightly.
"…Why do I feel like something bad is happening?"
The peaceful academy morning had officially begun.
---
Morning training continued in the arena.
CLANG!
CLANG!
SHING!
Steel collided again and again as Iren and Riven exchanged blows.
Riven swung his sword sideways.
"HYAA!"
CLANG!!
Iren blocked the attack smoothly.
"You're unusually energetic today," Iren muttered.
Riven smirked.
"Well of course."
He leaned closer during the clash and whispered,
"I just remembered the lake."
Iren's eyebrow twitched.
"…You're really asking for it."
BOOM!
Iren pushed him back with a powerful strike.
Riven slid across the arena floor.
SKRRRR—
On the sidelines—
Sylven sighed.
"…They're still going."
Kael stood beside him with folded arms.
"Yes."
Sylven rubbed his forehead.
"This is definitely because of the teasing."
Kael nodded calmly.
"Correct."
Just then—
Footsteps approached the arena.
TAP… TAP… TAP…
Sylven turned around.
"…Oh no."
Lyra walked into the arena.
Her silver hair moved gently in the morning wind.
She stopped near the edge of the field and watched the sparring match.
CLANG!
Iren and Riven separated for a moment.
Riven noticed her immediately.
His grin widened.
"Well well…"
Iren instantly felt a chill.
'No…'
'Don't you dare…'
Riven waved casually.
"Morning, Lyra."
Lyra nodded.
"Morning."
Her gaze moved toward Iren.
"Training already?"
Iren forced a calm expression.
"…Yeah."
Riven suddenly laughed.
"He's actually better on land than in water."
The arena became quiet.
Lyra blinked.
"…Water?"
But inside her mind—
A memory flashed.
Moonlight.
The lake.
Iren falling.
SPLASH!!
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
…Did he see that?
She slowly looked at Riven.
"…What do you mean by that?"
Before Iren could interrupt—
Riven dramatically spread his arms.
"Oh come on."
"You should tell her."
Sylven whispered urgently,
"Riven… stop."
Riven ignored him.
"He ran like a hero yesterday—"
Iren shouted,
"RIVEN."
But Riven stomped the ground dramatically.
SPLASH!!
"And then—straight into the lake!"
Sylven held his head.
"…We're dead."
Lyra's suspicion instantly turned into certainty.
Her eyes slowly shifted toward Iren.
"…You told them?"
Iren raised both hands.
"I didn't say anything!"
Riven continued happily.
"And then Lyra jumped in and saved him!"
That was the final confirmation.
Lyra's face instantly turned red.
Not embarrassment.
Pure rage.
Her silver hair moved slightly as she lowered her head.
"…You three…"
Her fists tightened.
CRACK
"…were watching?"
Riven blinked.
"…Uh oh."
Sylven immediately panicked.
"No! It wasn't like that!"
Riven pointed at Iren.
"It was his fault!"
Iren shouted back,
"HOW IS THIS MY FAULT?!"
Lyra slowly lifted her head.
Her eyes glowed with anger.
"You enjoyed that scene… didn't you?"
Riven nervously smiled.
"…Maybe a little."
Lyra cracked her knuckles.
CRACK… CRACK…
"Good."
She pointed toward the arena exit.
"…Run."
Riven blinked.
"…What?"
Iren quietly stepped aside.
"…You should run."
Sylven nodded quickly.
"Yes."
Kael added calmly,
"Immediately."
Riven finally understood.
"Oh."
A second later—
"RUN!!!"
Riven dashed out of the arena.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
Lyra chased him instantly.
"GET BACK HERE!!"
Sylven sighed.
"…And there he goes."
Kael nodded.
"Justice."
Meanwhile—
Riven sprinted across the academy courtyard.
"THIS IS UNFAIR!!"
Lyra chased him with terrifying speed.
"You told everyone!"
"I DIDN'T TELL ANYONE!"
"YOU STILL SAW IT!"
Students jumped out of the way as the two ran past.
"WHAT'S HAPPENING?!"
"I DON'T KNOW!"
Back in the arena—
Sylven watched them disappear.
"…Should we help him?"
Kael thought for a moment.
"…No."
Iren crossed his arms.
"…He deserves it."
Far away—
Riven's scream echoed across the academy.
"AAAAAAAH!"
A moment later—
SPLASH!!!
Sylven blinked.
"…Was that the lake?"
Kael nodded calmly.
"Yes."
Iren sighed.
"…Poetic."
The lake had claimed another victim.
And the academy morning continued in chaos.
---