Elphyete tugged at the back of my uniform, her voice barely a whisper. "Let's go somewhere quiet outside," she mured, her ears turning a deep red and twitching nervously.
"Okay," I replied, glancing at her. "Let's go to the garden in the back. I saw it on the map before we came in."
The garden was a sanctuary of color and scent, far removed from the judging eyes of the great hall. The sight of the rare, glowing flowers seemed to melt Elphyete's anxiety instantly. She began to run through the petals, spinning around with her arms wide, a pure, child-like joy on her face.
I couldn't help it; a small laugh escaped me.
She froze mid-spin. Her ears turned a deep crimson and began to twitch frantically as she realized I was watching. She stood there, rooted to the spot, looking utterly mortified.
"I'm sorry," I said, trying to stifle another chuckle. "It's just that you looked like a little kid when you were spinning around."
Her face burned even hotter. Without a word, she crumpled, sitting down on the grass and hiding her face in her knees to mask her embarrassment.
"You're a dumbass," a voice projected from the shadows.
I jumped, my hand instinctively dropping toward my side. I spun around to see a familiar shock of black and red robes leaning against a nearby tree. "Euphyne?! When did you get here?"
He stepped into the light, his "dazzling" aura reflecting off the garden's fountain. "Since the start," he said with a wide, mischievous grin. "I was hiding the whole time! Ahahaha!"
Before I could snap back at Euphyne, the Principal appeared from the garden path, his eyes twinkling with amusement.
"Hahaha! It seems you've already made plenty of friends," he chuckled, smoothing his robes. "I'm glad to see you're liking it here. It took me a while to track you down in this maze, but as promised, I have your reward. Follow me—and bring your friends along."
We followed him to a secluded, overgrown corner of the campus. Tucked behind a grove of ancient trees stood a charming, mini-mansion. It looked old and weathered but held a certain regal dignity.
"This belonged to my great-great-great-grandfather," the Principal explained, gesturing to the stone structure. "I want you to have it, Sogha. Consider it a thank-you for saving my life."
"I can't accept this!" I blurted out, stunned. "It's too much."
The Principal's expression turned mock-serious. "Well, I suppose I'll have to kick you out of the University then, since I can't have students refusing my personal gifts."
I stared at him, realized he was (mostly) joking, and sighed. "Fine... I accept."
"Wonderful! Your friends are welcome to stay here as well, though it only has two bedrooms."
"I'll take the biggest one for myself!" Euphyne shouted, already a blur of black and red as he sprinted through the front door.
The Principal handed me a heavy iron key, his shoulders shaking with silent laughter. "Both bedrooms are exactly the same size, actually. Your friend is certainly... interesting. Enjoy your stay."
He walked away, leaving me standing there with the key in my hand, feeling completely baffled.
I stood there staring at the key, my brain trying to do the math on the sleeping arrangements. Two rooms. Three people. One Euphyne who had already claimed half the territory.
I turned to Elphyete to see what she thought. For a split second, I saw her face before she realized I was looking. She looked... happy. More than happy, she looked absolutely radiant, her eyes sparkling as she gazed at our new home.
The moment our eyes met, the "Princess of Heaven" crashed back to earth.
"E-eek!"
She didn't just turn red; her face practically caught fire. She dropped to the floor in a heap, burying her face in her hands to hide from my gaze. Her ears were twitching so fast they were a blur of crimson, flicking back and forth like a pair of frantic wings.
I scratched my head, watching her curl into a ball on the porch. "Are you okay? Did you trip?"
She just let out a muffled, high-pitched squeak into her palms. I had no idea why she was reacting like this—maybe she was just really overwhelmed by the architecture?
"Well," I sighed, looking at the front door. "We should probably go inside before Euphyne decides to renovate the place with 'dazzling' wallpaper."
The heavy oak doors groaned as I pushed them open, revealing an interior thick with the smell of old paper and decades of dust. Sunbeams cut through the air, illuminating a million floating particles.
Euphyne came stomping back down the grand staircase, his face scrunched in disgust as he flicked a cobweb off his sleeve. "This place is filthy! How am I supposed to be dazzling in a house that looks like a tomb?"
I let out a dry laugh, rolling up my sleeves. "Well, I guess we'll have to work for it. Grab a broom, 'best friend.'"
Elphyete stepped out from behind my back, her eyes determined despite her lingering blush. "I'll do it," she whispered.
Before I could tell her she didn't have to do it alone, she raised her hands. "Creation Magic: Cleaning Maid!"
A burst of white light manifested in the center of the foyer. When it faded, a perfectly dressed, semi-transparent maid stood there. Without a word, the construct moved like a blur. It was a whirlwind of motion—dusting, scrubbing, and polishing at a speed the human eye could barely follow.
One minute. That's all it took.
The wood floors now gleamed like mirrors, the chandeliers sparkled, and even the air smelled like fresh lavender. The "tomb" had become a palace in sixty seconds.
"Whoa," I said, looking around in genuine shock. "Your magic is crazy nice, Elphyete!"
The sky outside the mansion windows began to fade into a deep violet as evening settled in. My stomach gave a loud, traitorous growl.
"It's getting dark," I said, heading toward the front door. "I'll go out and get us some food. You two just stay—"
"No need!" Elphyete interrupted, her voice surprisingly firm.
I blinked, stopping in my tracks. "Why? It's no trouble for me to go."
"Because... I love to cook," she said, her ears giving a quick, confident flick before she caught herself. She looked at me, a bit of that shyness returning to her eyes. "Don't you... want to taste my cooking?"
"No, I mean—I do want to!" I said quickly, not wanting to hurt her feelings.
"Good," she replied with a small nod of satisfaction. Then, her eyes went wide and she covered her mouth, her face turning pink. "Oops! Did I... did I sound too rude? I'm so sorry, Sogha! I didn't mean to snap!"
I couldn't help but smile at her. "No, it's alright. You don't need to apologize for wanting to cook. I'm actually looking forward to it."
"Go wait in the living room, please," Elphyete said, her eyes shining with a rare spark of competitiveness. "And let me show you how great of a cook I actually am!" She let out a tiny, cute laugh—the most relaxed I had ever seen her.
But as soon as the sound left her lips, she froze, her face turning a bright strawberry pink. She turned on her heel and sprinted into the kitchen before I could even respond.
I walked over to the living room and sank into one of the plush, newly-cleaned armchairs. As I waited, a sudden, cold realization hit me. I reached into my bag, my fingers frantically searching the bottom.
Nothing.
My heart skipped a beat. Between the walk to the University and the stress of the Spirit Resonance, I had mindlessly polished off every single snack I'd bought earlier. Every pastry, every skewer—gone.
I felt a wave of panic wash over me. I had zero supplies, and we were in a mansion on the edge of campus with no grocery store in sight. Then, I heard the rhythmic thump-thump-thump of a knife hitting a cutting board and the sizzle of a pan from the kitchen.
I leaned back, letting out a long sigh of relief. Right. Elphyete was in there. As long as she knew what she was doing, I wouldn't starve tonight.
"I hope she's as good as she says," I muttered to the empty room, my stomach already beginning to growl in anticipation.
Since the kitchen was off-limits, I decided to explore our new home. I headed upstairs, the polished wood stairs barely creaking under my weight.
The second floor was simple: a long hallway with only two doors.
I walked to the door on the left and gave the handle a turn. It didn't budge. Locked. A muffled, boastful humming came from inside, followed by the sound of furniture being dragged around. I shook my head—Euphyne had clearly made himself at home and didn't plan on sharing.
I crossed the hall to the door on the right. This one swung open easily. My eyes widened as I stepped inside. It was a massive suite, dominated by a large, plush bed draped in fine linens. A heavy oak wardrobe stood against the far wall, big enough to fit an entire royal wardrobe. It was a room designed for luxury, but there was only one of them left.
The reality of the situation started to sink in, but my stomach growled again, cutting my thoughts short. I couldn't solve the sleeping arrangements on an empty stomach. I headed back downstairs to the living room, sitting on the edge of the sofa and waiting for whatever Elphyete was whipping up.