Chapter 45 - Back Where She Belonged
The training session ended later than Lyra had expected.
By the time she left the training grounds, the sun had already disappeared behind the academy buildings, leaving the sky washed in deep shades of blue.
Her muscles ached pleasantly.
Nothing serious.
Just the familiar exhaustion that came after a good session.
She adjusted the strap of her bag and started toward the dormitories.
The Western Tower crossed her mind again.
She pushed the thought away.
There was no point dwelling on something she couldn't explain.
For now.
Her thoughts shifted to something else.
Amy.
Lyra slowed slightly.
She wondered if she would be back in their room tonight.
The thought felt strangely unfamiliar.
For the past few days, every time Lyra had opened the door, she had expected to see an empty bed.
Now...
She wasn't sure what she expected.
---
Amy stood in the middle of Mina and Celia's room with her belongings gathered around her.
Her temporary stay had lasted longer than she had expected.
A few clothes were folded neatly on the bed.
Her books were stacked beside them.
The room already looked different without her things scattered around.
Mina sat cross-legged on her bed, watching Amy pack.
"So you're really leaving."
Amy smiled apologetically.
"I think it's time."
Mina let out a dramatic sigh.
"And here I thought we'd finally convinced you to stay."
"You know I can't."
"I know."
Mina flopped backward onto her pillow.
"Still."
Celia, sitting at her desk, closed the book she had been reading.
"You were always going back."
Amy glanced at her.
"Yeah."
There was a small pause.
Then Amy smiled.
"Thank you. Both of you."
Mina immediately waved her off.
"Don't make it sound like you're leaving forever."
"I'm not."
"Good."
Mina pointed at her.
"You still owe us a proper dinner."
Amy laughed.
"I do?"
"You've been living here for days."
"That doesn't mean I owe you dinner."
"It does now."
Celia shook her head.
"You're making up rules."
"I make excellent rules."
"You make terrible rules."
Mina looked at Amy.
"See what I have to deal with?"
Amy smiled.
She was going to miss this.
The room had been strange when she'd first arrived.
Now it felt almost comfortable.
But there was another room waiting for her.
One she had been avoiding.
Amy picked up the last of her belongings.
"I should go."
Mina sat up.
"All right."
She hesitated before adding,
"Come visit."
Amy nodded.
"I will."
Celia gave her a small smile.
"Take care."
Amy returned it.
"Thank you."
She stepped toward the door.
Then Mina called after her.
"Amy."
Amy turned.
Mina grinned.
"Don't cry tonight."
Amy stared at her.
"...I wasn't planning to."
"Good."
Celia looked at Mina.
"You probably shouldn't have said that."
Mina shrugged.
"I had to."
Amy shook her head, smiling despite herself.
Then she left.
---
The dormitory corridor was quieter than usual.
Amy walked slowly, her bag hanging from one shoulder.
The closer she got to her room, the more the weight in her chest returned.
She stopped in front of the door.
Her hand hovered over the handle.
It was strange.
She had opened this door countless times.
Yet now...
It felt unfamiliar.
She took a breath.
Then opened it.
The room was quiet.
Nothing had changed.
Her bed was exactly where she had left it.
Her desk.
Her shelves.
Lyra's side of the room.
Everything remained untouched.
Amy stepped inside.
For a moment, she simply stood there.
Then she closed the door behind her.
The room didn't feel as cold as she had expected.
But it wasn't the same either.
She placed her bag beside her bed and began putting her things away.
A book went onto the shelf.
Then another.
Her clothes went into the drawer.
Slowly, the room began looking like hers again.
She glanced toward Lyra's side.
Lyra's sword rested against the wall.
Her training bag sat beside the desk.
Everything about it was ordinary.
And somehow...
That made Amy smile.
She had missed this.
Even the silence.
Especially the silence that didn't feel empty.
The door opened.
Amy turned.
Lyra stood there.
Her auburn hair was slightly disheveled from training, and the sleeves of her academy uniform were pushed up to her elbows.
She stopped when she saw Amy.
For a few seconds, neither spoke.
Then-
"You're back."
Amy smiled faintly.
"Yeah."
Lyra nodded.
"...Okay."
Amy blinked.
"Okay?"
Lyra looked slightly confused.
"What else should I say?"
Amy let out a quiet laugh.
"I don't know."
Lyra walked toward her desk.
"I didn't know either."
She placed her bag down.
The silence returned.
Not uncomfortable.
Just...
Unfamiliar.
Amy sat on her bed.
Lyra remained standing beside her desk.
Neither seemed willing to be the one to start.
Finally, Amy glanced toward Lyra.
"You still have it."
Lyra looked at her.
"What?"
Amy pointed toward her pocket.
"The coupon."
Lyra's hand instinctively moved toward it.
"...Oh."
She pulled out the folded paper.
Amy smiled.
"You kept it."
"I said I would."
"I know."
Lyra looked at the coupon for a moment.
Then placed it carefully on her desk.
Amy watched her.
"You could've used it."
"I wasn't hungry."
Amy raised an eyebrow.
"You weren't hungry for an entire day?"
Lyra paused.
"...Mostly."
Amy laughed softly.
"You're terrible at lying."
Lyra looked at her.
"I wasn't lying."
"You were."
A faint smile appeared on Lyra's face.
"Maybe."
Amy stared at her for a moment.
There it was.
That small smile.
The one she had missed.
She looked down at her hands.
"I missed this."
Lyra's expression softened.
"The room?"
Amy shook her head.
"No."
She looked at her.
"Us."
Lyra didn't answer immediately.
Her eyes lowered.
"...Me too."
Two words.
Quiet.
Simple.
But enough.
Amy smiled.
She didn't try to hug her.
She didn't ask for an apology.
She didn't try to make everything normal again.
She simply sat there.
And Lyra sat at her desk.
For a while, neither said anything.
They didn't need to.
---
Later that night, the lights were off.
The room was dark except for the faint glow coming through the window.
Amy lay beneath her blanket.
Across the room, Lyra was already in bed.
The silence felt different.
Not empty.
Amy closed her eyes.
She had spent the last few nights in another room.
Surrounded by people.
Yet something had always felt missing.
Now she understood what it was.
This room wasn't just a place to sleep.
It was where she belonged.
Across the room, Lyra shifted slightly beneath her blanket.
Amy smiled into the darkness.
"Good night, Lyra."
A short pause.
Then-
"Good night."
The room became quiet again.
But this time...
It didn't feel empty anymore.