Next day Leo despite his parent's worries decided to go to school. Hiding inside his house wouldn’t change anything and he felt actually safer in school since in his mind the figure ran away from the vice-principal.

Walking through the school gates, yesterday seemed unreal, like if what happened was just a bad dream. Everone was entering the school and normal talks could be heard all around.

Entering his classroom he saw Marry sitting at her desk. She noticed him too and hastily got up to meet him. “Leo! I was worried!” she said and hugged him.

“Eh?! I’m alright, why would something happen to me?” Leo was left uncertain what to do. He waved his arms wildly and looked around. “Everyone is looking, can we stop.”

“Ah, sorry.” She said before parting, looking around she noticed that everyone was already looking at them.

“Wah! Are you going out already?!” someone shouted.

“I thought that they were.” said one of the boys from class with smug voice.

“Ahh, I’m jealous!” said different classmate.

Both Leo and Mary got embarrassed and their face got red. The shouts in the classroom increased and it didn’t seem like the class would calm down for a while. Kids of their age got excited about those things.

“Everyone please be silent and go to your seats.” They heard someone say from the front of the classroom.

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and turned silent. It was the principal standing in front of them.

“Please take a seat.” Repeated kindly the principal smiling.

The class listened to him and everyone hastily took their seat. Looking at them Mr. Alexander continued “Unfortunately Miss Anna Robinson needed to take a sick leave, so for next week due to lack of staff I will be the one giving you lessons on magic theory.”

The lesson continued as normal after that. Leo moved little closer to Mary and whispered. “What got you so worried?”

Mary looked at him, still slightly embarrassed. “I mean, that guy from yesterday was the one you told me about right? It even spoke your name… and you weren't here yesterday. Of course, I would get worried…”

Leo once told her what happened that day, he usually avoided talking about it but he felt that he could tell her. “Right… well… after what happened yesterday my parents wanted me to stay at home.” He said uncomfortably. “But I hate him, killing people in name of revenge.”

“Right…” Mary said and looked away.

Leo only looked at her for a moment as if expecting more but after a while, he returned his attention to the class for some reason Mr. Alexander seemed much better teacher than Miss Anna. He wouldn’t voice that of course.

-*-

The lessons ended and Leo was getting ready to go to training, as he stood up Mary called him “Leo.”.

“Yes?” he answered.

“Today, after training, there is something I would like to talk with you about.” she said averting her eyes from his gaze.

“Sure.” he said and nodded, smiling.

Mary just nodded her head and ran out of the classroom without looking back at him.

“I wonder what she wants?” wondered Leo around.

“Isn’t it obvious?” said a boy who was sitting next to him. Leo looked at him tilting his head. The boy sighed and continued “She will confess to you.”

“Eh!?” Leo let out surprised. “Really?”

“I mean it’s obvious she likes you, you are the only one she ever talks to for more than five seconds.”

Leo now thought about it, he felt doubtful but if that was it, he didn’t know how he should answer. “Thanks.” he said to his classmate and went out of the classroom. On his cheeks, you could notice a faint sign of red.

Durning training he kept thinking about Mary. He wondered if he liked her. Well, it was obvious he liked her as a friend but was it more than that. He tried to imagine what would happen if he went out with her but his mind was blank. As he was swinging his axe sloppily Mr. Etan went up to him.

“What is wrong with you today?” he asked. “With swings like this, you wouldn’t hit anything.”

“Ah, well, my mind just isn’t there today. I guess.” Leo answered embarrassed.

“Hmph…” the vice-principal thought while looking around. “Alice Case, come here.” He said.

The black haired girl walked over. “Yes?” she asked.

“I would like you to spar with Leo.” said Mr. Etan.

Alice looked at him with her green eyes, it looked like she was thinking about something.

“Eh, I don’t know if I should toda…”

“Sure!” Alice shouted.

“Great. Get your protective gear and enter the arena.” It looked like Leo was not getting a choice in this now.

Leo and Alice entered the arena. For now, he decided to stop thinking about Mary and do his best.

Using his mana to enchant himself he, got himself ready as the absorption dome covered the arena. The warmth of his spell helping him relax.

“Start.” said Mr. Etan.

Leo jumped forward but as soon as he did he was forced to dodge a water spear heading for his head. He dodged it to the left with a single step and continued forward, his footwork training paying off.

Next, he met with a spear wielded by Alice, she thrust at him and Leo parried it with his axe but as he did he noticed a large cut on his weapon. Looking carefully he noticed a thin fast-moving stream of water on Alice spear. That seemed to be the reason.

Not having another choice he was forced to dodge the next strike jumping backward and with the superior speed he got away easily.

Still, he didn’t have time to rest, water bullets fast followed after him, dodging he started to run to the side of his enemy. Slowly as he got closer he attacked with an overhead swing and it seemed as if he was going to land the hit.

In last-second Alice created a small water shield that slowed Leo’ attack and let her get away.

Leo readied his axe again, looking around to find Alice he noticed Mary standing near the arena looking at him, he looked back forgetting what he was doing for a second. Then he noticed a big surge of water was coming at him. It was too late to dodge, Leo decided to try something he was studying till now. Focusing his light mana on his arm he crossed them to protect himself.

As the water got into contact with his arms some of it seemed to disappear instantly as if it hit the absorption dome. Still, not all of it was absorbed and, Leo, despite his physical enhancement got pushed back to the edge of the arena.

He fell to his knee from the strain of the heavy use of mana, he used much more energy to block the spell then it costs to cast it. He breathed heavily but his chocker didn’t beep. Little wet from the water that was not blocked he got up, his axe ready.

Alice looked at him shocked but soon attacked him with her spear. Leo blocked it with the shaft of this axe but because of this, his weapon got cut in half. Jumping backward and throwing away his broken weapon he focused his light mana on his arm to enhance its defense and put his hand in the way of the spear.

He wanted to continue with a punch but his choker started beeping, it seemed that the strength of his enchantment was still not enough.

“What was that?” Alice asked him. “You are usually much better. And why would you block a spear with your bare hands?”

Leo watched the girl not knowing what to say. “Sorry.”

“Is something wrong?” she asked.

“Eh not really…” he said, “Can I ask you something?”

She looked at him confused. “Sure?”

“Is there someone you like?” he asked.

The girl's face turned red. “WHAT?! WHY!?”

“I wondered how do you know if you like someone.”

“Eh? How can I answer that?” she wondered. “It’s like when you see the person and you get happy and you want them to be happy too. That you get happy felling at the thought of handing their hand or something…” She said playing with her fingers, looking away to not meet his gaze. Leo looked at her, their eyes finally meeting. “AH! Forget it!” she said before running away.

“Wait!” Leo shouted but she was already moving away. Stroking his head he looked around.

“So, that didn’t help huh… I would be happy if you didn’t spread your sloppiness to others. Really, you should go home and calm down, training in your state is pointless.” said Mr. Etan before turning away. Leo could only hang his head down.

Leo wondered at the meaning of the words that Alice said but couldn’t think of anything. Turning around he looked for Mary and noticed her getting closer to the exit of the training hall. He ran after her.

“Mary!” he shouted, catching up to her just behind the door. “Didn’t you want to talk.”

“Don’t you want to talk to Alice?” she looked at him. Her eyes empty.

“Ehh? Why? I promised I would talk with you.”

“But don’t you like her?” she said. Leo looked confused.

“I like her as a friend but what does that have anything to do with it?” he asked.

Mary sighed, she looked annoyed. “Then why did you ask her that question?”

Leo thought upon what he asked Alice. Now that he thought about it, it may have been strange.

“Eh? That was because Mark from our class said something strange to me and I wondered how it is to like someone, I thought maybe Alice would know. Did I do bad?” he was now unsure.

Mary looked at him and after a while started laughing. “Hahaha. Hahahahaha. Ha. That’s just like you.”

“Eh?” he let out confused. “But what did you want to talk about?” he asked, his face turning now little red.

Mary's face darkened, forgetting about her confusion a moment ago. “I, well, can we forget about it?” she asked then she let out in a whisper “I wouldn’t want you to hate me after all.”

Leo heard that even if barely. His hearing was quite good, the same could be said about the rest of his senses. She started moving away but he caught her arm. “I wouldn’t hate you. Never!”

She looked at him. “No.” She tried to tear away from him but his hold on her arm was too strong for her to get away. “You train too much.” She complained.

“That is not what this is now about. Let’s talk, please. I will worry if we let it stay like that.”

She looked at him and sighed. Not having another choice she spoke “Not here, please.” They still were in the corridor leading to the training hall.

They moved to one of the storage rooms in the basement. It was filled with unused dusty desks and chairs. Leo was holding her hand and he thought about what Alice told him. Shaking his head he tried to forget about that. “So what did you want to tell me about?” he asked.

She looked at him then turned her face away. Leo didn’t give up and continued to hold her hand. “What a mistake… But I knew I would have to tell it to someone one day, I just didn’t want it to be you, why did I start this today? I’m stupid…” she was shaking.

“Don’t worry. You can tell me.” he looked her in the eyes.

“I… that day, when they attacked, when Max died, it was me…” she said tears strolling down her cheeks.

“Huh?” Leo was not sure what she meant but hearing Max name again after all this time worried him for some reason.

“I was the one that… killed Max…” she said her eyes full of tears.