Coffee... As Friends

Silas made his way back to his dormitory, the weight of his confession to Adalinda heavy on his mind. He couldn't believe that he had told her how he felt, it all seemed a little strange to him.

After all, in his past life, he had been over thirty years old and lived a long life before coming to this world.

At times, he missed his old life, but he had a new life here, and a friend he truly cared about.

He knew that their relationship was fragile, and he didn't want to risk losing her again. However, he also couldn't deny his feelings.

As he lay in bed, Silas couldn't stop thinking about the way Adalinda had looked at him when he told her how he felt. He could see the surprise and uncertainty in her eyes, unsure of how to respond to his confession.

Silas wondered if he had made a mistake in telling her how he felt. Maybe it was too soon, maybe he should have waited. But he reminded himself of the promise he had made to always be honest with Adalinda, and he had to trust that she would give him a chance to prove himself to her.

Silas thought about the potential problems that might arise from dating the emperor's daughter.

As Emperor Alexios, he had married politically, but this time it would be different.

He also wondered if there would be any problems with Emperor Lirien, but he couldn't dwell on it for too long.

As he drifted off to sleep, Silas couldn't help but feel grateful for the second chance that Adalinda had given him.

The next day, Silas met Adalinda in the courtyard, his nerves getting the best of him.

He took a deep breath before speaking. "Hey, Ada. Can we talk?"

"Sure, Silas. What's on your mind?" Adalinda asked.

Silas took another deep breath before speaking, wanting to make sure they were on the same page moving forward. "I know yesterday was unexpected, and I wanted to make sure we approach this relationship in the right way. I also wanted to talk to you about any potential issues."

Adalinda's concern was evident on her face. "What kind of issues?"

Silas explained, "Well, for one, I know that dating the emperor's daughter could be a problem."

Adalinda nodded slowly. "I see. It's true that there could be issues, but I don't want that to stop us from exploring this relationship. We can take it one step at a time and deal with any issues together."

Silas hesitated for a moment before speaking. "There's another thing I wanted to mention. When people find out about us dating, they might think that the Ward family is trying to gain something from the Imperial family. It's not something I want to happen, but it's a possibility we need to be aware of."

Adalinda looked thoughtful. "I understand what you're saying, Silas. But we can't control what people think. All we can do is be honest and genuine with each other."

Silas nodded, feeling reassured by Adalinda's words. "You're right, Ada. As long as we're honest with each other, that's all that matters."

Adalinda smiled at him. "Of course, Silas. I care about you, and I want to make this work."

After their conversation, Silas and Adalinda parted ways to attend their respective classes. As they reached the entrance to the building, Adalinda turned to Silas and said, "Well, I guess we should get going. See you later, Silas."

Silas smiled back at her. "Yeah, see you later, Ada." He watched as she turned and walked through the doors before making his way to his own class.

As Silas walked to his Dream Theory class, he felt a bit more confident and familiar with the academy's layout. It had already been a few weeks since his first day.

He greeted a few students he had met with a smile and even made a mental note of their names.

The sun was shining brightly, casting warm rays over the sprawling campus. Silas took in the beautiful scenery around him, admiring the well-manicured gardens and impressive architecture.

Despite his initial nerves and excitement, Silas was starting to feel more at ease in this new environment.

As he approached the Dream Theory classroom, Silas noticed that Zimala was already there, chatting with a few other students.

"Good morning, Silas!" Zimala greeted him cheerfully.

Silas nodded, returning her smile. "Yes, thank you. And you?"

"Yup." She said.

Just then, the door to the classroom opened, and the professor stepped out. "Good morning, students. Please make your way into the classroom," she said.

Silas and Zimala followed the other students into the classroom, taking their usual seats.

As the class began, Silas found himself fully immersed in the lecture. The professor was discussing the various theories about the purpose and meaning of dreams.

Silas listened intently, fascinated by the different interpretations and explanations of dreams.

As the class went on, Silas found himself deep in thought, pondering the mysteries of the subconscious mind.

How did these dreams work, how did he 'create' Celeste in a dream?

Why did he have a dream so young?

Would he have more?

He wondered if dreams truly held the key to unlocking hidden truths the world around them.

Silas was brought out of his reverie by the sound of the magic bell signaling the end of class.

He gathered his things and headed out of the classroom. As he walked back to his dormitory, Silas couldn't help but feel grateful for the opportunities that had been given to him since arriving at the academy.

He had made new friends, found a sense of purpose, and even came clean to Adalinda.

Leaving his things in his room, he made his way to the combat training class.

Silas was lost in thought, wondering about the mysteries of the subconscious mind and the power of dreams.

He was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't notice someone calling his name until they tapped him on the shoulder.

"Silas, hey!"

Silas turned around to see a familiar face, it was Iliana, one of the students he had met during his first few days at the academy.

"Oh, hi Iliana," Silas said, smiling. "How are you?"

"I'm good, thanks. How about you? How's everything going with the princess?" Iliana asked, a mischievous glint in her eye.

Silas felt a little embarrassed, but he couldn't help but feel grateful for Iliana's friendly and supportive nature.

"Things are going well, thanks for asking," Silas replied.

"I'm glad to hear it. Listen, I was wondering if you'd like to grab a cup of coffee with me sometime? There's this little tavern near the academy that I think you'd like," Iliana said.

Silas hesitated for a moment, not wanting to give Iliana the wrong impression. "I appreciate the offer, Iliana, but I should let you know that I'm seeing someone."

Iliana's face initially lit up with excitement at the prospect of spending time with Silas, but as he revealed his relationship status, a look of disappointment and sadness quickly crept onto her features.

However, she didn't let her emotions show for long, quickly composing herself with a forced smile and upbeat tone. "Oh, I didn't realize," she said, her voice laced with a latent hint of disappointment. "No worries, Silas. Maybe we can just grab coffee as friends?"

Silas nodded, relieved that she was understanding. "Sure, that sounds good."

Iliana smiled. "Great! How about this weekend? I have a free afternoon on Sunday."

Silas checked his schedule with Celeste before answering, "Sunday works for me. What time?"

"Let's say around 2 pm? That gives us plenty of time to relax and enjoy the coffee," Iliana said.

"Sounds perfect," Silas agreed, smiling. "I'll meet you outside the academy gates at two."

"Great, I'll see you then!" Iliana said, waving goodbye as she headed off in the opposite direction.

Silas watched her go, feeling a little confused about his feelings. He just started dating Adalinda and there were already challenges and obstacles in his way.

He shook his head, reminding himself that he had made a commitment to Adalinda and that he needed to focus on building their relationship.