The final blow still echoed in the air when silence fell over the training field. Everyone stood still, eyes fixed on Ereno and Aurelian, both breathing hard, both refusing to fall. Their match had ended in a draw, but it was anything but disappointing.
Yubel stepped forward, eyes sharp. "That was enough. All of you did well today," she said. "Especially you four."
She glanced at Ereno, Eren, Lilly, and Aurelian before turning away with a small smile. "Dismissed."
The tension faded. The students relaxed, some stretching, some chatting, others just catching their breath.
Lilly walked over to Eren, wiping sweat from her forehead, "You were strong out there. I didn't expect that."
Eren laughed "Thanks. I didn't want to lose in front of my brother."
They both looked over at Ereno, who stood quietly beside Aurelian, holding what was left of his broken dagger.
Aurelian glanced at Ereno, half a grin on his face. "That was fun. I didn't think I'd have to go all out today."
Ereno smiled slightly, tapping his cracked dagger.
"Next time," Aurelian said, "bring gear that can keep up with you."
Yona leaned against the wall near Nina and V. "He's strong," Nina said.
"Which one?" V asked playfully.
"Both," Yona replied quietly, eyes lingering on Ereno before quickly looking away.
Cael rubbed his arm as he walked beside Sylra, "Still think I'm just a guy who swings hard?" Sylra gave a small shrug. "Maybe. But you're not dumb."
Ereno adjusted the straps on his daggers silently, well, his one intact dagger. The other was still lying cracked on the floor where it had split mid-fight. He didn't pick it up.
Eren walked beside him, wiping her forehead with her sleeve. "You broke your dagger."
He gave a small shrug.
"That was kinda cool, though," she added quickly, grinning. "You and Aurelian… I thought one of you was going to actually break the floor."
Ereno's eyes flicked to her. The corner of his mouth twitched maybe a smile, maybe not.
Behind them, Yubel was still watching. She didn't call out, didn't stop them, but her eyes lingered on Ereno longer than anyone else.
As they stepped outside, the buzz of the class still carried behind them, Cael joking loudly, V exaggerating his loss, Yona walking off quietly.
Eren stretched, her steps lighter than usual, "That wasn't bad, huh? I mean… we didn't win everything, but we held our own."
Ereno looked at her. He tilted his head slightly, then gave a slow nod.
"Still…" she added, glancing at him, "...you stood out."
He didn't answer, just looked up at the orange sky ahead.
As they neared the fountain, Eren nudged his arm. "You wanna go to the roof?"
Another blink. Another small nod.
As the students slowly dispersed, some laughing, others nursing sore muscles, the energy of the training field began to settle
Ereno and Eren veered off, footsteps fading behind the chatter.
Nearby, by the fountain at the edge of the courtyard, Lilly remained seated as she hadn't moved much since the match ended.
Lilly sat at the fountain, her mind still reeling from the day's events. She had been watching Ereno throughout the sparring, and there was something about him that always caught her attention. Maybe it was the calm way he moved, the way he never seemed to be fazed by anything. He had a quiet strength that intrigued her.
But it wasn't just that. It was how he never seemed to care about the spotlight. While the others were all too eager to show off, Ereno never seemed interested in anything but his own growth. It was... refreshing, in a way. She admired his quiet resolve.
Lilly bit her lip, pushing those thoughts away. Focus, she told herself. She wasn't here to figure out Ereno. She was here to get her work done. Still, her gaze flickered back to him as he walked past. She couldn't help but wonder if he even noticed how everyone looked at him. Was he aware of the attention he received? Probably not. And maybe that was part of the charm.
Then after a while, she went to the girls' dormitory to rest and study for tomorrow's classes thinking about the coming festival that's going to take place after a month and how is she and her the other student council members are going to organize it.
As the clamor of the sparring field faded and students began to leave in groups, conversations softened, laughter drifted off, and what remained was a quiet sense of satisfaction or quiet disappointment, for some.
Among them, the twins walked side by side, their steps light, as if already shedding the weight of the day. They didn't speak much. They didn't need to.
Their path wasn't toward the dorms. It veered slightly to the side, where an old stone wall met a rusted iron pipe, one the academy staff always forgot to fix, and one the twins could easily use to climb this wall.
Eren looked up at it with a small grin, the corners of her eyes crinkling. "Still think you can beat me up there?"
Ereno tilted his head, one brow raised in silent challenge.
And just like that, they were kids again.
Eren climbed first, fingers gripping the old stone like muscle memory. She didn't need to look. She just knew where to hold, where to step. Ereno followed without a sound, right behind her like always. The wind brushed past, tugging at their clothes, whispering like it remembered them.
They pulled themselves up onto the rooftop just as the sky was starting to fade into gold and pale rose. The view was the same as always, but somehow it still made her breathe easier.
Eren sat down near the edge, her legs dangling off without a care. "Same as ever," she muttered.
Ereno settled beside her, dropping down with a soft thud. His eyes scanned the horizon like it meant something.
They stayed quiet for a moment.
Then she glanced at him, her voice low. "You didn't hold back today."
He turned to look at her, just a bit.
"I mean... not just with Aurelian. You fought like someone who is used to doing all that. Well you've always been good, but this was..." She paused. "Different... more like serious."
Ereno didn't answer, but his expression shifted, just enough to show he heard her. Under the soft sunset light, the quiet between them wasn't awkward.
It was... home.
Eren hugged her knees to her chest. "Lilly's good."
That part came out faster than she meant it to. She stared at the sky. "I didn't think she'd be that good. She's fast and I kept thinking that I had an opening, and then... bam! She was already past me."
Ereno's gaze moved to her slowly, curious.
"I should've seen it coming," she said, voice a little rougher now. "But I didn't, and in front of you, too..."
He blinked, head tilting slightly.
"I don't know, maybe I wanted to win more than I realized." She bit her cheek for a second, eyes tight. "Not for the points or to show off. Just... because you were watching, i wanted to imperessyou."
Ereno stayed quiet, but his hand reached out and tapped her foot gently with the back of his knuckles. It was small. Nothing dramatic. But she felt it.
She smiled, just a little. "Yeah. I know. It's fine."
A bit of wind brushed over them. Eren leaned back, letting her hair lift with the breeze, her eyes softer now.
"You still look like a dead guy," she said after a while. "But something in your eyes always seems to change when you fight... Serious too. And I saw it."
Ereno exhaled slowly through his nose. He didn't smile but he didn't look away either.
Another moment passed. The world got a little darker, the rooftops dipping into shadow.
"We'll get better," she murmured. "Iwill get better."
Ereno gave a short nod. She leaned against his shoulder and started talking about her and Lilly's plans to go out to a restaurant in the weekend.
No more words, just the wind, the falling sun, and two twins holding still in a world that was already starting to move again.
Somewhere across the academy, deep inside the girls' dormitory, Lilly sat on her bed, towel still wrapped around her head as she leafed through a book of some Russian author.
Then...
"Achoo!"
She blinked, sniffled rubbing her nose.
"Hmm??… Weird."
The morning sun pierced through the tall arched windows of the dormitory, pooling gold light on Ereno's still-sleeping form.
"Ereeeeno, wake up!!!"
Eren's voice rose above the clatter of hangers and drawers. She was already dressed, hair half-tamed, sleeves rolled sloppily.
Ereno blinked, yawned, then sat up slowly. He pointed toward the wardrobe with a question in his brow.
"Yes, I ironed your uniform. No, I didn't fold it. That's your punishment for sleeping like a rock."
He grinned, unbothered, and grabbed the shirt, nearly putting it on inside out before she shoved his hand away with a groan.
"We're going to be late for the orientation! You do realize today's the day everyone forms their first impression, right?"
Ereno gave her a thumbs up with a smug little bow, still half-dressed.
"Ugh. I swear, you enjoy watching me panic like that."
The twins finally left the dorm. The halls outside buzzed with life as students are chatting, rushing, laughing. A few second-years leaned against the walls, eyeing the newcomers with amused faces. Somewhere in the distance, a bell rang twice.
Ereno walked with his hands in his pockets. Eren stuck close to his side, holding the map Grandpa gave her.
"Okay," she said, squinting at the paper. "If we keep going down this hall and take a left near the phoenix statue, we'll reach the main courtyard."
Ereno gave her a thumbs-up. She smiled and kept walking.
When they stepped into the courtyard, the sun broke through the clouds. The space was huge, open skies above, stone paths below, and tall pillars wrapped with floating cloth that shimmered like water. Flags bearing the academy's crest flapped in the breeze, though no wind touched them.
Dozens of first-years gathered there. Some stood in groups, some sat on the steps. A few looked completely lost. Magical orbs floated around, humming softly as they glowed with announcements.
"New students, please remain in the courtyard. Orientation will begin shortly."
Eren tugged on Ereno's sleeve. "We made it!"
Ereno nodded. He glanced around, eyes catching every little thing like the details in the walls, the shape of the doors, the odd way the shadows fell across the ground even though the sun was high.
They weren't the only ones who stood out. A few students turned to look at them, some curious, some whispering. Eren shifted awkwardly.
"Is it because we're new?" she asked.
Probably, Ereno thought.
Just then, a friendly voice called out, "Hey! You two!"
They turned. A tall boy with messy dark hair waved them over. He wore the same uniform but had a shiny red pin on his collar.
"I'm Milo, third year. Student guide," he said, smiling. "You're early. That's a good thing."
"Hi, I'm Eren," she said, smiling back.
Milo looked at Ereno. "And you must be her brother."
Ereno gave a small nod, then pulled a small notebook from his pocket. He scribbled quickly, then showed the page:
"Ereno. Nice to meet you."
Milo blinked, then gave a relaxed smile. "Ah, got it. Cool way to talk, honestly. You'll both get used to the academy in no time. Oh, and keep your eyes open because we've got the Moonlight Festival coming up. It's tradition for first-years to join in. Fun, chaotic, and a good way to meet people. Trust me, it beats getting lost alone in the west wing."
"Festival?" Eren asked, tilting her head.
"Yep," Milo replied. "You'll hear more about it at the student council meeting tomorrow. It's open to all years. You should come."
Before Eren could ask more, a loud bell rang overhead. All the floating orbs lit up at once.
"Orientation is starting!" Milo said. "See you two around!"
He vanished into the crowd.
Eren looked at Ereno. "Should we go?"
Ereno nodded.
They walked forward together, stepping into the crowd, into the academy, into something they didn't quite understand yet.
But it had begun.
Inside the council room, sunlight streamed through tall windows, casting long rectangles on the polished floor. The room wasn't overly formal, just a long table, some chairs, a cluttered board with pinned schedules, and the hum of tired enthusiasm in the air.
Lilly, now dressed in her uniform again, tapped her pen against the edge of her clipboard. "Alright, festival planning. We've got one month. So... Any ideas?"
A few members perked up, others groaned softly, already sensing the workload.
A tall boy with messy black hair leaned back in his chair, hands behind his head. "Can we do something that doesn't involve glitter this time? I'm still finding it in my shoes from last year."
Another girl, short and sharp-eyed, flipped her notebook open. "We'll need team leads. Events, food, decorations, safety, and clean-up at least."
Lilly scribbled. "Okay. We're all students, so we should aim for simple but fun."
Just then, the door creaked.
Heads turned.
Eren poked her head in, already mid-apology. "Sorry! I know we're not officially on the council, but... we were told to help right?"
Ereno followed quietly behind her, notebook in hand, eyes flicking across the unfamiliar faces.
A pause.
Then Lilly smiled, standing up. "Yeah, that's right. You're the twins from Class 1-S. Thanks for coming."
The tall boy whispered to the girl next to him, "That's the one who sparred with Aurelian, right?"
Ereno's eyes flicked to him, unreadable. He didn't react otherwise.
Eren nudged her brother slightly with her elbow, giving him a reassuring look only he would catch.
Lilly gestured to the only two empty chairs. "You can sit here. We'll catch you up."
Ereno nodded once, sat quietly, and opened his notebook. He wrote:
"How can we help?"
The girl beside him hesitated, then peeked at the note. "He... doesn't speak?"
Eren answered without missing a beat. "He does. Just not the way you do it usually."
The air shifted though not uncomfortable, just... unsure.
Lilly smoothed it over. "We'll be glad to have both of you. We need all the help we can get."