After dinner, they sat on a plush sofa that Kael had conjured inside the tent. The space felt more like a luxurious study than a temporary shelter.
Kael watched his friend. Draven was in a daze, his gaze fixed on Silas, who was actively trying to hide his face. Silas was sure Draven had figured out his secret that he could use both magic and the sword and the intense scrutiny was a prelude to an interrogation.
Kael sighed, breaking the thick silence. "Draven, Silas, I know you two need to talk. I don't know what's going on between you, but you should clear it up before I get back."
Silas shot Kael a desperate look, silently pleading with him not to go, as if the silence would kill him.
Draven, on the other hand, felt a surge of gratitude and gave his friend a subtle thumbs-up. Kael had arranged this perfectly.
Kael left, and the silence in the tent became a heavy presence. Silas's heart hammered against his ribs. Draven felt a tremor run through his own chest.
Finally, Silas took a deep breath and looked directly at Draven. "You can ask me anything you want to know. I'll answer honestly."
The reply he got was not what he expected.
Draven just looked at him, and the question that had been circling his mind slipped out unconsciously. "Are you single?"
Silas's eyes went wide. His heart felt like it stopped and then restarted at double speed. Heat flooded his face, turning his cheeks and ears a shade of crimson. "What? What did you just say?"
The question hung in the air, and Draven finally realized he'd said it out loud. He scrambled to recover. "No! No, I didn't mean to ask that. I just wanted to know about… the other day."
Silas let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "Oh. Yes. I can use swords and magic at the same time."
Draven's expression turned serious. "Does anyone besides me know about it?"
"Yes," Silas nodded. "My family knows."
Draven sighed in relief. "Silas, don't ever use both at the same time in public. I know it's hard for you, but magic swordsmen are rare. Very rare." He leaned in slightly. "The Imperium won't allow anyone other than royalty to have this power. They'll do everything they can to eliminate the threat."
Unconsciously, Draven placed his hand over Silas's where it rested on the sofa. "You don't need to worry. I'll protect you if necessary. As an instructor… as a friend…" The last word felt forced, a placeholder for something else he didn't dare say.
In this world, relationships between men were common enough to be unremarkable. But for Silas, the warmth of Draven's hand was anything but. His heart stuttered. He looked into Draven's earnest eyes and could only nod in response.
At that exact moment, Kael re-entered the tent without a sound. The first thing he saw was Draven's hand covering Silas's, the two of them lost in each other's gaze. A wide smirk spread across his face. "Why don't I arrange a personal room for you two? This tent is obviously a hindrance."
Silas snatched his hand back and shot to his feet, so flustered it felt like smoke was coming out of his ears. He bolted for the entrance, but just as he reached the tent flap, he paused. He glanced back at Draven, who was glaring at Kael with pure unfiltered annoyance.
"Draven!" Silas called out.
Draven's head whipped around in surprise. It was the first time Silas had said his name directly. A current shot through his entire body.
Silas met his gaze. "The first question you asked me… the answer is yes."
He didn't wait for a response. He ducked out of the tent, and a moment later, the sound of a horse galloping away faded into the night.
Draven stared after him, his mind replaying the first question. Are you single? And the answer… Yes. His heart began to pound with a wild, exhilarating hope. He's single! So I can pursue him?
Kael watched him, confused. "What did you ask him?"
A smug smirk appeared on Draven's face. "If he's single or not."
Kael sighed dramatically. "Brother, you are completely, utterly gone."
"What do you mean?" Draven asked, his tone serious again.
"He just said he's single," Kael said, his voice laced with annoyance. "But do you really think with that face, he'll stay single for long? Let him set one foot in the academy, and I guarantee he'll be drowning in proposals."
Draven's face turned to ice. Kael was right. With his beautiful face and athletic build, Silas would attract countless admirers, just as he did. But while Draven ignored them all, would Silas do the same?
Absolutely not! Draven thought, a fierce determination hardening inside him. I need to do my best to win his heart. I'll pursue him hard… hehe. A crazy, possessive smile spread across his face, while Kael just stared at him like he was looking at the world's biggest fool.
The next morning, the field was crowded. Selected students stood in nervous clusters, instructors managed the lines, and even the clerks from the registration tent were present, all eyes turned towards the horizon.
Silas waited with the others, having already sent his horse on its way. The academy only permitted contracted beasts, and his family's well-trained steed knew its own way back home. He gave its muzzle one last pat before watching it gallop off toward the familiar roads.
Suddenly, a vast shadow fell over the field, silencing the scattered conversations. It wasn't a cloud. Hundreds of pairs of wings beat against the air, a powerful, silent downdraft announcing the arrival of the academy's transport. A fleet of snow white Pegasus descended, each pulling an elegant, gleaming carriage.
With a grace that defied their size, they touched down on the field, their hooves making barely a sound on the turf. The moment they landed, Kael and several other instructors moved forward, already beginning the process of organizing the students and assigning them to their ride to their new life.
Rodrick spotted Silas in the crowd and made his way over. "Silas! So you were accepted, just as you wished. Don't you forget about this senior once you're inside the academy walls."
Silas felt a little embarrassed and scratched the back of his head. "How could I, Senior Rodrick? You were the first senior I met."
Rodrick laughed and gave Silas's shoulder a friendly pat.
From his position across the field, Draven saw it all. He saw the easy camaraderie, the laugh, the casual touch. His hand clenched into a fist at his side. A hot spike of jealousy shot through him, and without a second thought, he started walking. The crowd of students instinctively parted before him.
He came to a stop right in front of the two of them. Silas looked up at him, his friendly expression faltering slightly.
"So," Draven said, his voice low and tight, "you've already made friends inside the academy?"
"No, no!" Silas said quickly. "Senior Draven, he's the first senior I met here, so…"
Draven nodded once, but his frown didn't disappear. "You can use my name, as you did before."
A wave of relief washed over Silas. "Okay, Draven!"
The effect on the surrounding crowd was immediate and electric. A collective, silent shockwave passed through the students. They all knew Instructor Draven. He was the Ice Prince of the academy, the coldest, most unapproachable figure on campus. He never allowed anyone, not even other instructors, to use his name so casually. And now he was personally inviting a new, unknown junior to do so.
A shudder went through the crowd. Even Rodrick, who had been laughing just moments before, was staring at Silas in utter horror.
Just then, Kael strolled up, a relaxed smile on his face that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Silas," he said smoothly, "you'll be joining me and Draven in our carriage."
Silas nodded. "Okay, Kael! But let me just say goodbye to this senior."
Kael's gaze flickered to Rodrick for a fraction of a second before he nodded. He grabbed Draven's arm, who was still glowering at the space between Silas and Rodrick, and began to physically pull him away. "Come on, Draven. Let the kid say his goodbyes." Draven went reluctantly, his eyes lingering on Silas until Kael forced him to turn towards their designated carriage.
Rodrick stood frozen, the friendly warmth draining from his face. He knew both of them too well. Kael was famously easygoing but was still a top instructor with a powerful background. And Draven… Draven was the Ice Prince. Both of them were talking to Silas as an equal. And what had he done? He'd treated Silas like some random, lucky newcomer.
Silas, mostly oblivious to the internal panic attack Rodrick was having, offered a polite smile. "Well then, Senior Rodrick, let's talk again inside the academy. I need to go join them in their carriage now."
Rodrick practically jumped. "No, no!" he said, waving his hands frantically. "Don't use honorifics with me! Just use my name. Rodrick. Please."
Silas sighed internally. He could see there was no arguing the point. He simply nodded, accepting that this was just another strange turn his new life had taken.
Silas walked over to the carriage Kael and Draven had entered. The ornate door was still hanging open, and as he approached, he could see the two instructors locked in a silent, intense battle of wills, glaring at each other from across the cabin.
The carriage was spacious, with plush seats lining both sides. Kael and Draven were sitting on opposite benches. The moment they noticed Silas, their glares vanished, replaced by welcoming smiles. Draven's eyes in particular seemed to pull Silas toward the empty space beside him.
To avoid the awkward tension that radiated from Draven, Silas decided to sit with the more relaxed of the two. He moved towards the empty spot beside Kael.
But just as he was about to sit, Kael suddenly made a show of rummaging in a space pouch at his belt. He pulled out a large stack of papers and documents, plopping them right onto the empty seat. "Ah, Silas," he said, with an apologetic wince. "Could you please sit there, beside Draven? I have some urgent work I need to get through."
A flicker of understanding passed between Draven and Kael, and a ghost of a triumphant smile touched Draven's lips. He was inwardly overjoyed.
Silas, left with no other option, simply nodded and slid onto the bench beside Draven, the warmth from the instructor's body immediately noticeable.