"Click."
The door closed, leaving the room in silence, she's back at her dorm room.
"…Haa…"
Lunivara exhaled softly as the tension finally slipped from her shoulders. For a moment, she stood still then slowly made her way to the bed and let herself fall onto it.
"Thump."
Her arm came up to cover her eyes.
["That was… exhausting."]
A faint breath escaped her.
["Good thing I managed to keep my composure…..Those manners… really saved me."]
She shifted slightly, staring at the ceiling.
"…What a troublesome day." She muttered.
Meanwhile—
Cedric walked along the hallway, his steps steady, his expression remain unchanged.Yet something lingered.
"…What was that…?"He said, expressing he's disbelief—his eyes narrowed slightly, casting a shadow over his brow. His jaw tightened as he recalled the word.
"…Brother."
It echoed faintly in his mind
"…Irrelevant." He said.
His gaze hardened as he dismissed it, but another thought quickly followed.
"…Leontius."
His pace slackened, dragging down by his heavy thoughts.
"That man… to speak in such a manner before others."
A faint irritation surfaced.
"And toward me, no less."
A pause.
His eyes narrowed.
"…And the way he regarded her."
Sharp, observing.
"…Did she attempt to gain his favor…?"
The thought came cold.
"…Or is it merely coincidence…?"
He exhaled quietly.
"…Regardless."
His voice lowered, firm.
"I will keep watch."
And with that, he continued forward.
Back in the dorm—
"Creak…"
The door opened softly as Clara stepped inside.
"Milady… are you well?"
Lunivara shifted slightly but didn't sit up.
"…I'm fine."
A small pause.
"…I would like to rest."
Clara nodded gently.
"As you wish."
She moved quietly around the room, straightening the table and arranging what had been left out. The curtains were drawn with care.
"Slide…"
The light softened.
"…Rest well, milady."
"Click."
The door closed once more and silence returned.
Lunivara stared at the ceiling. Recalling the person who stood for her.
["Leontius…"]
Her brows furrowed slightly.
["Why did you step in…?"]
They had hardly spoken.
["There's no reason for you to interfere... Leontius"]
Her fingers tapped lightly against the sheets.
"…Still…"
A quiet breath followed.
["You've helped me a lot....Thank you"]
A sudden weight dimmed the light in her eyes.
["If that professor hadn't stopped me this morning…"]
A pause.
["I would have lost everything."]
The air felt heavier.
["In the original story…"]
Her fingers curled slightly.
["She did it....She was suspended… for a month."]
Another breath.
["And if it reached the royal family….I would have been cast aside without hesitation."]The mere thought sent a shiver down her spine.
"…What a life you had." Her voice softened.
"…Even if you tried… no one would choose you." Her heart ached as she thinks of it.
A somber quite echoed in the wake of her words.
Then—
She sat up.
"Shift—!"
The wandering look in her eyes snapped into sudden focus.
"…No."
Her hand reached for a notebook.
"I won't wait for that to happen."
"Flip—"
The pages opened.A pen pressed firmly against the paper.
"…If the worst time comes…"
Her eyes flashed with sudden clarity.
"I need a way out....scratch… scratch…Emergency funds…safety routes….places outside noble reach…"
Line after line filled the page.
"…If I'm finally abandoned—"
Her grip tightened slightly.
"I will definitely survive."
The room remained quiet.
But this time—it was no longer suffocating.
It was preparation.