Chapter 42 - Empty room
The evening breeze drifted quietly through the academy grounds.
Students gradually disappeared into the dormitories, their conversations fading with each passing minute.
Lyra walked alone.
The training hall was already behind her.
So was Erix.
Without realizing it...
Her pace had become lighter.
Not because anything extraordinary had happened.
It hadn't.
Erix had criticized her stance.
Called her late.
Refused to give her a proper compliment.
Exactly as always.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
"...Finally."
She quietly repeated the word to herself.
That was probably the closest thing she'd ever get to praise from him.
The thought made her shake her head.
"...Impossible."
The academy pathways were almost empty now.
The golden light of sunset had begun giving way to the soft blue of evening.
Students greeted one another as they passed.
Some hurried toward the dining hall.
Others disappeared into the dormitory buildings.
Everything felt...
Normal.
For the first time in days...
Lyra didn't feel like she was walking through a place that wanted to push her away.
She reached the girls' dormitory.
The familiar corridor stretched before her.
A few first-years chatted quietly near the staircase before wishing each other goodnight.
Lyra continued toward her room.
She reached for the handle.
Click.
The door opened.
Silence.
The curtains swayed gently as the evening breeze slipped through the half-open window.
Her desk.
Her bookshelf.
Everything remained exactly where it had always been.
Yet...
Something immediately felt different.
Her eyes slowly drifted across the room.
Toward the bed opposite hers.
Empty.
No one sat there reading.
No one complained about tomorrow's classes.
No one lazily waved hello the moment the door opened.
Just...
An untouched bed.
Lyra remained standing by the doorway.
Only then did she realize...
Some part of her had expected Amy to be there.
The realization surprised even herself.
She quietly walked to her desk.
Her hand slipped into her jacket pocket.
The folded cafeteria coupon emerged between her fingers.
She looked at it for several seconds.
Then...
Instead of putting it away...
She carefully placed it on the desk.
"...Tomorrow."
The word escaped before she realized she'd spoken.
She sat down on the edge of her bed.
The room felt strangely spacious.
Strangely quiet.
She had spent days wanting to be alone.
Now...
The silence no longer felt comforting.
It simply felt...
Empty.
Meanwhile...
Across the girls' dormitory...
Amy climbed another flight of stairs.
Her footsteps stopped outside a room near the end of the corridor.
Knock.
Before she could knock again—
The door swung open.
"There you are!"
A cheerful girl with shoulder-length chestnut hair grinned brightly.
"I was starting to think you got lost."
Amy laughed softly.
"...Sorry."
The girl folded her arms.
"Hm..."
Amy tilted her head.
"What?"
The girl narrowed her eyes dramatically.
"...You're smiling."
Amy blinked.
"...I am?"
From the desk by the window, another girl looked up from the novel she'd been reading.
"You've been smiling since you reached the door."
Amy instinctively touched her cheek.
"...Is it really that obvious?"
"Very."
The cheerful girl stepped aside.
"Come in."
The borrowed room wasn't much different from Amy's own.
Three beds.
Three desks.
A few personal decorations scattered around the room.
One corner had slowly become Amy's temporary space over the last few days.
The cheerful girl flopped backward onto her bed.
"I knew it."
"You talked to your roommate."
Amy stopped while placing down her bag.
"...How did you know?"
"Easy."
She pointed directly at Amy.
"This is the first time you've smiled since moving in."
Amy couldn't argue with that.
"...I guess you're right."
The second girl quietly closed her book.
"I'm glad."
Amy looked over.
"You looked miserable."
"...Celia."
"What?"
"...You could've said that more gently."
"I could have."
She paused.
"...But then I'd be lying."
Amy couldn't help laughing.
The cheerful girl pointed dramatically.
"See?"
"She always says things like that."
Celia calmly looked at her.
"Mina."
"I don't think you're the right person to criticize anyone."
"What?"
"I'm much nicer."
"So you believe."
Amy watched the two continue bickering.
Somehow...
It reminded her of herself and Lyra.
The thought no longer hurt as much.
Instead...
It made her smile.
After a while, the room grew quiet again.
Mina looked toward Amy.
"...Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"...Are things okay now?"
Amy thought for a moment.
About today's conversation.
About Lyra's expression.
About the meal coupon.
"...Not completely."
She smiled.
"But..."
"I think we're finally walking in the right direction."
Mina visibly relaxed.
"...That's good."
Amy tilted her head.
"Were you worried?"
Mina scratched her cheek awkwardly.
"...Well..."
"...You cried almost every night."
Amy froze.
"...What?"
Celia answered matter-of-factly.
"We shared a room."
"It was difficult not to notice."
Amy stared.
"...You heard that?"
Mina immediately waved both hands.
"We weren't listening!"
"It just..."
"...Kind of happened."
Amy slowly buried her face in her hands.
"...I'm never recovering from this."
Mina burst into laughter.
"I think it's a little late."
"...Please forget it."
"We'll try."
"...That doesn't sound convincing."
"It isn't."
Even Celia smiled faintly.
"...We weren't making fun of you."
"We were worried."
Amy slowly lowered her hands.
"...Thank you."
Neither Mina nor Celia answered.
Some things didn't need an answer.
The dormitory gradually grew quieter as the night settled over Valmere Academy.
Most students had already finished dinner and returned to their rooms.
A cool breeze drifted through the open corridors, carrying with it the distant sounds of laughter from the academy courtyard.
Amy glanced at the empty water jug beside the door.
"...I'll be back in a minute."
Mina looked up from her bed.
"Don't get lost."
Amy smiled.
"I'll try."
Grabbing the jug, she stepped out into the corridor.
The dormitory halls were much quieter now.
Only a few students still wandered between the buildings before curfew.
She made her way toward the small fountain in the courtyard.
The sound of flowing water filled the peaceful silence.
As she finished filling the jug...
"...So that's a no?"
Amy looked up.
A short distance away, beneath one of the courtyard lanterns, Lucian stood facing a second-year girl.
The girl crossed her arms with an exaggerated pout.
"You've turned me down three times already."
Lucian looked as calm as ever.
"I've been busy."
"That's exactly what you said last time."
"...Because it was true."
The girl sighed dramatically before laughing.
"One day I'll get a different answer."
"As you wish."
She gave him a playful wave before heading back toward the dormitory.
Only after she disappeared did Lucian notice Amy standing near the fountain.
"...Amy."
She gave an awkward smile.
"...Am I interrupting?"
"No."
"It was already over."
Amy nodded before looking in the direction the girl had gone.
"...So the rumors aren't completely false."
Lucian let out a quiet sigh.
"...Unfortunately."
She laughed softly.
"You know... when we first met, I probably believed every single one of those rumors."
Lucian raised an eyebrow.
"...The library."
She nodded.
"I walked in, saw you with a girl..."
"...And immediately tried to leave before I noticed."
"I had just seen something I definitely wasn't supposed to."
"You did."
Amy rubbed the back of her neck.
"I remember thinking that if I walked away quietly enough, everything would be fine."
"...It wasn't."
"You caught me."
"...I did."
Amy smiled.
"And then, instead of pretending nothing happened, you started questioning me about the record changes."
"You were acting suspiciously."
"I was helping someone."
"You were changing academy records."
"...For a good reason."
"...Questionable method."
Amy rolled her eyes.
"I refused to tell you anything."
"You did."
"And you kept trying to get the information out of me."
"...Correct."
Amy looked at him with an amused smile.
"You even tried to charm me into talking."
Silence.
Both of them froze.
Without warning...
The rest of that evening replayed in their minds.
The quiet records room.
Amy unconsciously stepping backward.
Her back meeting the wall.
Lucian leaning in just enough to invade her personal space.
"Did it work?"
"Not even a little."
Amy's face immediately grew warm.
Lucian quietly cleared his throat and looked away.
"..."
"..."
Amy stared very intently at the water jug in her hands.
"...Let's pretend I didn't say that."
"...Agreed."
His answer came a little too quickly.
Amy couldn't help laughing.
"...Still didn't work."
"...Clearly."
The awkwardness faded almost as quickly as it had appeared.
After a brief silence...
Amy looked at him again.
"...Actually..."
"I wanted to thank you."
Lucian frowned slightly.
"...For what?"
"For that day."
"When I was crying."
"You stayed."
"You listened."
"You didn't ask me to explain anything."
Lucian was quiet for a moment.
Then he answered simply,
"...You looked like you needed someone there."
Amy lowered her eyes.
"...Even so..."
"...Thank you."
Lucian gave a small nod.
"...You're welcome."
His gaze lingered on her for a brief moment.
"...You look better."
Amy smiled.
"...I talked to Lyra today."
"...How did it go?"
"It wasn't perfect."
"But..."
"I think we finally took the first step."
"...That's enough."
Amy nodded.
"...I think so too."
A comfortable silence settled between them.
"Well..."
Amy lifted the water jug slightly.
"I should get back before Mina starts another search party."
"...Probably."
She laughed.
"...Goodnight, Lucian."
"...Goodnight, Amy."
They walked away in opposite directions.
Neither noticed the blond-haired student standing near the academy notice board across the courtyard.
Elias had been returning from the library.
He hadn't heard the conversation.
He hadn't seen the awkward moment.
The only thing he saw...
Was Amy smiling.
"...Elias!"
One of his classmates called from farther down the path.
"You coming?"
He blinked before looking away.
"...Yeah."
His friend glanced toward the courtyard.
"Wasn't that Lucian from Black Crest?"
"...Mm."
"They seemed to be getting along."
Elias remained silent for a moment.
"...Maybe."
He wasn't sure why...
But that simple thought lingered with him all the way back to the dormitory.
Author's Note
Lucian may never admit it, but he's becoming a surprisingly good listener. It was fun writing his interactions with Amy this chapter—awkward, honest, and very... Lucian.
Also, poor Elias. I wonder what he's thinking now.
Thank you for reading! Don't forget to vote if you enjoyed the chapter.