Chapter 18 - Locked Out
The training hall doors closed.
Silence followed.
Then—
"They locked us out."
Amy sounded really offended.
"That is generally what happens when people who are not supposed to be there insist on being present," Kaelan replied.
"You're missing the point."
"I rarely do."
Amy looked unconvinced.
Nearby, Lucian stared at the closed doors.
"Erix." ( Pause )
"Erix."
"Of all people."
Rivan placed a hand over his chest.
"How could they..."
"What the hell is wrong with all of you?"
Everyone turned toward Seren.
Even the Blackcrest members looked baffled.
Amy blinked.
The reaction alone was strange enough.
Seren was the last person anyone expected to criticize chaos.
"What did you just say?" Rivan asked. "Am I dreaming?"
Seren frowned.
"What? Did I say something weird?"
"No," Kaelan replied.
"It's just rare to see you acting like a normal person."
The way he said it sounded similar to a proud father witnessing a milestone achieved by his child.
Lucian pointed dramatically toward the training hall.
"Inside that room is a first-year who has already suffered enough."
"That's very touching," Seren said.
"Thank you."
"You don't mean a single word of it."
"Also true."
The training hall doors opened again.
Everyone straightened instinctively.
Even Seren managed to look respectable.
For approximately three seconds.
Mrs. Bradmore stepped outside and looked at the group.
"...Why are you all still here?"
Nobody answered.
Because nobody had a good answer.
Lucian eventually cleared his throat.
"We're providing emotional support to our friend."
Mrs. Bradmore glanced toward the closed hall.
"While standing outside?"
"It's because you kicked us out, ma'am."
Silence.
Amy raised one hand.
"I'd like to formally file a complaint."
"Denied."
"I haven't even said the complaint yet."
"I know what it is."
Amy looked betrayed.
Meanwhile, Kaelan stepped forward politely.
"Good evening, Professor."
Mrs. Bradmore nodded once.
"Good evening, Kaelan."
The others immediately looked offended.
"Why does she always sound nicer when talking to you?" Rivan asked under his breath.
Unfortunately, it was still loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Because he doesn't create problems," Seren replied in the exact same tone.
Mrs. Bradmore ignored them entirely.
"The session will last approximately one hour."
Nobody moved.
The older woman looked unimpressed.
"Your friend is not being executed."
Silence.
Lucian slowly raised a hand.
"Can we verify that?"
"No."
"That doesn't help."
Mrs. Bradmore sighed.
"Go find something productive to do."
Nobody moved again.
"...That was not a suggestion."
Then she left.
The moment she disappeared around the corridor corner—
everyone immediately started talking again.
"One hour?" Lucian looked horrified.
"That's an entire hour alone with Erix."
"I know."
"It feels dangerous."
"It probably is."
Amy folded her arms.
"Lyra is going to hate this."
"She hated it the moment she saw him standing there," Rivan agreed.
"Honestly," Lucian admitted, "the expression on her face was unforgettable."
"It really was," Seren said.
The conversation continued for several minutes.
Then Seren's attention shifted.
Toward Amy.
More specifically—
toward the slight irritation that appeared every time Lucian opened his mouth.
With Lyra trapped inside the training hall and temporarily unavailable as a source of entertainment, Seren had been forced to seek alternatives.
Amy's reactions were quickly becoming interesting.
So he investigated.
"You seem unusually annoyed whenever Lucian appears."
Amy froze.
Only briefly.
Most people wouldn't have noticed.
Seren did.
Amy blinked.
"What does that mean?"
"I don't know."
Pause.
"Yet."
Amy narrowed her eyes.
"Sometimes you're unbelievably annoying."
"That wasn't a denial."
A folded academy notice immediately hit him in the shoulder.
Rivan looked between them.
"I feel like I'm missing context."
"You usually are," Kaelan replied.
Lucian looked even more confused.
"Wait."
His gaze shifted between Amy and Seren.
"What are you two talking about?"
Amy immediately pointed at him.
"Nothing."
"That sounds like an excuse"
"Does it?"
Seren leaned back against the wall, looking entirely too pleased with himself.
Very little things escaped his attention.
And Amy had just confirmed there was something worth investigating.
Which meant he would absolutely not leave it alone.
Somewhere in the distance, future problems quietly began forming.
Behind the closed doors of the training hall—
Lyra's first lesson had already begun.
──────────
While Lyra is busy suffering through training, it seems Seren has found a new mystery to investigate.
The real question is:
Did Amy react because of Lucian...
Or because Seren noticed?
What do you think? ??