Coincidence…?

"Silvesta," Remien cut her off. His stern voice dropped a few degrees, and the woman fell silent. Remien came to a halt. His attention was drawn to Alika, the green-eyed mage with fiery auburn hair in front of him. Not a single detail escaped his prying eyes. He studied her as if she was some rare mythical creature.

"There definitely is no need for any fixing. You're a natural beauty. You're perfect," Remien said with a warm smile, running his gaze along Alika's body one more time. It looked as though he was trying to make sure he committed everything he saw to memory. It felt like his blue eyes were looking deep into her very soul. "I apologize for my friend's rudeness. I hope you can forgive us."

Wolfred stood a few steps behind Silvesta. Wolfred's gaze dropped to Alika's light summer blouse and... remained glued there. And if Alika had paid more attention, she would have noticed him nod several times in agreement. He was extra careful so that his silver-haired companion didn't see the gesture.

At first, Alika didn't recognize the person talking to her. It was the day following graduation. After all, there could be many unfamiliar people in the dormitory building. She wasn't paying attention to what the voice was saying. The mage didn't bother looking in that direction either. Still, the mage felt the man's eyes on her all too well.

When Alika turned around, she was at a loss. She had apparently caught this young man's interest. Yet, she had no clue what the reason for that could be. A vague feeling of familiarity had been tugging at the corner of her mind for a while now.

"Pardon?" Alika asked, still lost in her thoughts. Her mind was picturing her leaving this boring dormitory behind for the first time in five years for good. She had spent such a long time studying at the academy!

Remien gave Alika one more gentle look and continued his walk. He flipped to the last page of the folder he was still holding in his hands. And he froze in place, shutting his eyes. Alika thought she noticed a cool breeze ruffling her hair and clothes.

For an instant, the mage felt she couldn't move, even if she wanted to. Something resembling cold, invisible fingers crawled under her skin. It searched and explored until it clutched her very heart.

And then they both dived into the mental realm. Alika knew it was her mental realm. Yet, she heard bits of Remien's thoughts while he searched for something inside her.

There was darkness all around. Fear? Pain? Regret? Disappointment? Remien couldn't read any of the feelings. All he knew was that they were not of the good kind. But those were usually the imprints of life circumstances. He kept searching until a sharp surge of pain pierced his heart.

Remien saw a dazzling light. A blinding, bright cluster of energy he had never seen before. How it remained untainted by all the murky, slimy surroundings was beyond him. It was unthinkable. Such a phenomenon was not supposed to exist! It was a threat that had to be wiped out at its root. However, it was powerful. And strength was something he respected. The more powerful an opponent, the sweeter the victory, right?

A shiver ran down Alika's spine. She wanted to scream but found it impossible to open her mouth. For the first time in a long while, she was afraid. Then the sensation disappeared as abruptly as it had begun. Was this how mind control felt? All kinds of memories surfaced. Her brain worked hard to bring up stories about such abilities. And she didn't like those one bit. Her mind was also so kind as to remind her that the aftereffects of experiencing such things were seldom good.

'This man. Wait a minute. What in the Underworld is a man even doing here?!' Alika thought as panic set in.

"S-stop it!" Alika shouted and heaved a sigh of relief. As soon as she could breathe freely, she continued in her usual sharp, assertive tone. "How dare you attack an academy graduate in its very building?! According to Section 53 of the Magesterium's Crimes Act, the penalty for such an assault is ten years of prison. At the very least! Five for attacking a person and five more for casting a hostile spell on the academy premises!"

The mage started preparing an attacking spell of her own. It was merely a basic one to create a diversion rather than aim to cause any significant harm. According to that same Act, she had the right to self-defense. Remien turned on his heel and opened his eyes.

"I mentioned you were perfect, right? Alika..." The edges of his lips curved up in a smile again. This time it never touched the eyes that were full of sadness.

"W-what?!" Alika blinked up at him. The mage forgot all about activating the spell she had at the ready. Her hands let go of the shoulder bag she was holding. Her prized possession fell to the floor with a loud thump, the sound bouncing off the corridor walls. She blurted out the first question that came to her mind, despite it probably being the silliest one. "How do you know my name?"

Remien was about to answer Alika's question, but before he could do that, they were all distracted by the loud clicking sound of approaching footsteps. The Department Head, Megaera, walked through the double doors. She was humming a tune to a song that used to be trendy over 50 years ago. The woman sure seemed to be in high spirits. But that was right until one of her elegant shoes stepped into a good-sized piece of half-dry mud. That same instant, Megaera's mood plunged, doing a complete 180.

"Oh, Sweet Phoenix! The filth!" the woman exclaimed in exasperation. "Girls! Who on earth was so brainless to imagine, even for a second, they could forget about the rules right after graduation! If you let yourself think that I have no way to make your life hell, think again! I have a significant enough influence on the Council, let me remind you!"

The woman walked with more care afterward, trying her hardest to keep her comma heels tidy. She walked up to the group in front of Alika's room door and took a deep breath. She was about to unleash her pent-up anger. But soon, she realized who these people were. It hit her like a thunderbolt. Megaera froze.

"Ah, what a pleasant surprise." Remien took a few steps in her direction. He closed the folder he had been carrying around for a while now. He handed it over to Wolfred." You have an excellent sense of timing. The information you provided me with exceeded my highest expectations. It was highly detailed and wonderfully organized. It's an honor to work with such a professional. The donation to the academy will be in by tonight, as agreed. I'll add a little extra for the inconveniences."

Remien nodded towards the dirt on the floor.