Chapter 24 - Absence
Lyra's plan was flawless.
Simple.
Efficient.
Perfect.
Avoid Erix.
That was it.
As long as she never spoke to him again, everything would be fine.
The embarrassment would disappear.
The memories would disappear.
The entire incident would disappear.
Probably.
Unfortunately—
The academy seemed determined to challenge her strategy.
The moment she stepped into the courtyard that morning, she spotted a familiar figure in the distance.
Dark hair.
Grey eyes.
Erix.
Lyra immediately turned around.
Without hesitation.
Without shame.
Without dignity.
And walked the other direction.
Several minutes later—
Rivan blinked.
Then blinked again.
"Did she just avoid you?"
Erix continued walking.
Silence.
Rivan looked at Kaelan.
Kaelan looked away.
Rivan looked back at Erix.
"She definitely avoided you."
Nothing.
"Don't you think you should do something?"
Still nothing.
Rivan considered this.
Then—
"Is she embarrassed?"
Erix stopped walking.
Slowly turned his head.
And looked at him.
Rivan immediately raised both hands.
"Right."
"Bad question."
"Understood."
Kaelan sighed.
"Congratulations."
"What?"
"You somehow managed to make the situation worse."
"I asked one question."
"You asked Erix."
"That's true."
Rivan could not argue with that.
By lunch—
Everyone had noticed.
Not just Erix.
Everyone.
Including Lucian.
"You're doing it again."
Lyra looked up from her book.
"Doing what?"
"Avoiding him."
"I'm not."
"You literally jumped behind a statue."
"I was appreciating architecture."
Lucian stared.
Amy stared.
Even Seren stared.
"It was a very nice statue."
"No," Amy said.
"It wasn't."
Lyra returned to her book.
Conversation over.
Or so she hoped.
But—
Lucian was still present.
"Why are you avoiding him?"
"I'm not."
"You are."
"I'm not."
"You are."
"I'm not."
Amy suddenly appeared between them.
"She's not."
Lucian blinked.
"What?"
"I said she is not avoiding him"
Lyra looked at Amy with puppy eyes, which made Amy cook up more excuses.
"Then what do you think she is doing?"
"It's just that she is busy."
"Doing what?"
"Important things."
"What important things?"
"Very important things."
Lucian stared.
Amy stared back.
A battle of determination.
Neither blinked.
Several seconds passed.
Finally—
"That doesn't answer anything."
"It does."
Lucian looked deeply unsatisfied.
Amy looked victorious.
Lyra looked grateful.
Though she would deny it if asked.
Unbeknownst to everyone —
The rumors continued evolving.
By afternoon, they had somehow become worse.
Amy arrived carrying different kind of information.
"You have a weird fan club problem."
Lyra immediately frowned.
"I have what?"
"A weird fan club problem."
"I don't even have a fan club."
"Not yours."
Amy pointed dramatically.
"Erix's."
Silence.
Lyra regretted asking.
Amy continued anyway.
"Apparently somebody started a rumor."
"What"
"Yes."
"I don't want to know."
"You need to."
"Just stop talking."
Amy ignored her.
"They think he confessed."
Lyra froze.
"...What?"
"And then you rejected him."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Then—
"What?"
Amy nodded.
"That was my reaction too."
Lyra slowly lowered her forehead onto the table.
Now only the great gods can save her from all this
Evening arrived.
The training room remained quiet.
Erix stood near the center.
Waiting.
The circular formation glowed faintly beneath his feet.
Five minutes passed.
Then ten.
Then fifteen.
The door never opened.
The session continued.
But the absence remained.
Obvious.
Noticeable.
Deliberate.
During the entire one hour—
Everyone was waiting outside the hall.
Seren stretched.
Rivan yawned.
Kaelan was reading a book.
Erix remained at the center waiting for Lyra. Once the time ended he came out.
For a moment his gaze lingered on Amy who was coming towards the hall with Lucian.
Then the moment she came close.
"Where's Lyra?"
The question escaped before anyone could stop it.
Silence followed.
Then Lucian answered.
"Busy."
Everyone looked at him.
Including Erix.
Lucian continued.
"Important things."
Rivan nearly choked.
Kaelan closed his eyes.
Amy froze.
Because she recognized those exact words.
Lucian nodded seriously.
"Very important things."
The room remained silent.
Even Erix looked mildly confused.
Then Lucian added—
"Confidential."
Amy immediately turned away before anyone noticed she was laughing.
The excuses were terrible.
Absolutely terrible.
Yet somehow Lucian delivered them with complete sincerity.
Erix stared at him for several moments.
Then turned and walked toward the door.
Not convinced.
Not even slightly.
The hallway was mostly empty.
Amy eventually caught up with Lucian.
"You know those excuses were awful."
"I know."
"Nobody believed them."
"I know."
Amy narrowed her eyes.
"You copied me."
"Maybe."
"Why?"
Lucian thought for a moment.
Then shrugged.
"You were trying to stop people from bothering her."
Amy blinked.
Lucian continued walking.
"So I helped."
That was all.
No dramatic speech.
No grand explanation.
Just that.
Amy watched him for several seconds.
Unexpectedly speechless.
Then—
"You're weird."
"Thanks."
"That wasn't a compliment."
"I know."
Meanwhile—
Erix stood outside the training hall.
The evening air was cool.
Quiet.
For a moment he simply stared toward the academy grounds.
Thinking.
Kaelan eventually joined him.
Neither spoke immediately.
The silence wasn't uncomfortable.
Just familiar.
"She isn't coming tomorrow either."
Kaelan's voice broke the silence.
Erix didn't answer.
"Not if things stay like this."
The silence continued.
Then Kaelan folded his arms.
"Whatever happened during synchronization..."
His gaze drifted toward the distant dormitories.
"Maybe it wasn't your fault."
A pause.
"But you're involved now."
Erix's expression remained unreadable.
Kaelan sighed.
"You should talk to her."
Simple words.
Yet they lingered.
Because both of them knew one thing.
Lyra wasn't avoiding training.
She was avoiding him.
And eventually—
Someone would have to take the first step.