"What did you guys talk about, meow?" asked Selkie as we got back. With a wag of his tail, he leaned in closer and looked up at me with big curious eyes. Theodore's expression was bright with anticipation, and even Flare looked my way in interest.

Ari beamed, his smile stretching from ear to ear, and his joy was almost tangible. "It turns out that Arata and I know each other," he answered, his voice full of excitement.

"Really?" questioned Selkie, his eyes widening in surprise and ears perking up as he looked Ari's way

"Yup," I replied, my own smile matching Ari's expression. "The both of us go way, way back." Following my words, Ari and I shared a small laugh, the air between us filling with a sense of nostalgia and fondness.

In turn, Selkie's brow furrowed and she cocked her head to the side in deeper confusion as she said, "You both don't make any sense right now, meow."

"Hey Flare," I called out as she was being patted over by Selkie. In her sitting position, I saw her tongue stuck out of her snout by the attention she was given. A smile escaped my lips at the sight of her wagging tail and happy demeanor. "Have you been getting along alright?" I asked, my eyebrows raised with curiosity.

Flare's ears perked up and her gaze snapped toward me, her wolfish eyes shining with excitement. With a swift movement, she sprang to her feet and shook herself off, her fluffy coat rustling loudly in the breeze. "Yeah Mr. Selkie is so nice!" she replied, her voice high-pitched as always.

"Huh!?" Selkie let out, startled. Her eyebrows furrowed, and her mouth hung open in shock. "She talks!" he said, her head snapping toward me. Without saying a word, I only nodded. As Selkie turned to face Flare once more, he was taken aback by the innocence etched onto her wolfish face. "You're so cute!!!" he exclaimed, his voice rising with excitement as he reached down and gave her wolf form a big tight hug.

Turning my body away from them, my gaze landed on the mattresses. I furrowed my brow, eyeing the two bunk beds that were set up on each side of the wall. "Which one is my bed?" I asked out loud to no one in particular.

As I spoke, I found myself staring at the beds, my eyes scanning over them as I tried to figure out which one I would soon be sleeping in. Theodore's voice broke through my thoughts, and I turned to see him pointing with his finger. "The one below mine," he said.

"Well, I'm pretty tired," I said, walking over to it as I removed my blazer. "I'm calling it a day," I added. As I looked at the cabinets that rested beside my bed, I opened them. Inside were all of my clothes, folded neatly and in place. I reached out to open another drawer and found Flare's clothes, neatly organized as well. So not only did they bring them But put them in their place as well.

Having grabbed my set of night clothes, I stopped myself before unbuttoning my shirt. My thoughts raced as I hesitated. Is it okay if they see the runes on my back? I asked myself, my concern evident on my face. Hm? If they see it then they'll ask me questions and at the moment I really don't feel like explaining. So, with a sense of caution, I positioned myself in a way that they couldn't see my back and put on my sleeping clothes. A sense of relief washed over me as I crawled into bed, grateful for the comfort my bed provided.

As I laid down, feeling the soft cushion beneath me, I noticed that Flare had stiffened up and was staring at her surroundings with a look of confusion on her face. "Wait!" she exclaimed, her voice rising slightly. "Where is my bed!?"

Theodore turned to her with a look of neutrality. "You don't have one," he replied simply as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"You can sleep with me if you want," I said with no change in my expression as I patted the soft mattress beside me. The crisp white sheets crinkled warmly beneath my fingers as if begging for her company.

"Okay!" she replied eagerly, her voice dancing with excitement. With surprising grace, she launched herself into the air, her body transforming mid-flight as she morphed back into her human form.

"H-Hey!" I exclaimed, fumbling to cover her with the sheets as she landed beside me. "Put your clothes on first!"

"Ah!" she exclaimed, her now human face contorted into one of realization as she finally comprehended what had happened, "I forgot!" She broke out in a sheepish smile, her cheeks dimpling as her eyes sparkled with guilt. "Sorry," she admitted, her voice dropping to a softer tone as her embarrassment showed through. Despite her willingness to learn and grow, she still couldn't hide her childlike nature.

"Huh!" Selkie exclaimed, eyebrows furrowing in confusion, as he tried to make sense of what he was seeing.

Ari's eyes widened in shock. "W-What's going on!" he stammered. "She was a wolf before! How is this possible?"

"Theodore, can you explain it to them, while I go get Flare changed," I said, desperately hoping he could handle it.

"Sure, I can do that," he replied nonchalantly, as if explaining complex topics to others was just another day at the office.

Quickly, I wrapped Flare in blankets and scooped her up in my arms, careful not to expose her body. I grabbed a change of clothes and tossed her in the corner of the room so she could change in privacy. As she did that, Theodore began to speak, his voice confident and clear as he explained the situation to the others. I stood in front of Flare, my back turned to her, providing cover as I listened to Theodore's words.

Once the whole scene was over, Flare let out a content sigh and laid back down, her human form allowing her to sink into the soft mattress. Her eyes fluttered shut, and her breathing slowly regulated as she felt the weight of the day lift off her shoulders.

"Why don't you just sleep in your wolf form, meow?" came Selkie's musing voice from across the room, and it brought a lazy smile to Flare's lips. She cracked open an eye to peer at him through the sleepy haze.

"I like it better this way," Flare answered.

"Well, Alright," replied Selkie, his shoulders rose and fell in a shrug as he added, "Good night now," before turning away.

At that, both Flare and I fell into a comfortable silence as we laid side by side. The bed in the dorms was much smaller than the one I had back in the Arumani mansion, which made our proximity even closer. As our arms gently brushed against each other, I could feel the warmth of Flare's body next to mine. And even though we weren't speaking, I felt a deep sense of comfort as my eyes fell shut.

***

My eyes snapped open as I wasn't used to sleeping in an unfamiliar environment. The silence was eerie and suffocating, pressing in on me like a heavy blanket. I could feel myself overheating. I turned my head to the side, and there was Flare, her arms locked tightly around me like a koala bear clinging to a tree. I couldn't help but smile slightly at her adorable and unexpected gesture.

"Morning," came Selkie's sleepy voice from across the room. Turning his way, I saw him stretching his lithe body with cat-like grace.

Everyone else began to stir, poking their heads out from beneath blankets and rubbing their eyes, followed by all of preparing for the day ahead. Stepping outside into the fresh air, we were greeted by the first light of dawn breaking over the horizon. Theodore's voice broke through the silence, reminding us that we only had two hours to prepare ourselves and grab some breakfast before the start of classes.

"Hey is that Nina?" I asked, my eyes fixated on the familiar strands of her pink hair that were tied up into two buns on each side of her head.

As if hearing my call, Nina turned around, and our eyes met, causing her face to light up in a heartbeat. With a joy-filled wave, she began to make her way toward us. Her pinkish hair having a new glow in the face of the morning sun, adding a layer of radiance to her appearance.

"Good morning everyone," said Nina as she arrived in front of us, her eyes gleaming with enthusiasm

"Good morning Nina!" said Selkie, beaming with joy and throwing her arms wide open as she leaned in for a warm embrace.

"Selkie!!!" screamed Nina, leaping toward him and wrapping her arms tightly around Selkie's neck.

Caught off guard by the sudden outpouring of emotion, I let out a bewildered gasp. "Wait, you guys know each other?" I asked, unsure of how to react to such a dynamic display.

"Yeah," Nina answered with a grin on her face as she let go of Selkie. "Remember when I mentioned that the village of Ruevil was close to the Lalerial Forest?" she said, placing a hand on her hip before continuing. "Well, their village was actually tucked within the forest. It was so close yet remote that it felt like an adventure just getting there!" she explained, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she reminisced about the past. "I'll never forget the day I decided to go for a walk and stumbled upon their village." Showing a smile she held her hands together below her waist as if holding onto a precious memory.

"Wait a minute, that's not how I remember the story," said Ari with a slight chuckle, his eyes sparkling mischievously. Nina's head snapped toward him, her face immediately flushing with embarrassment. "You got lost," he continued with a smirk, relishing the opportunity to tease her.

Nina nervously shifted her weight from one foot to the other, her lips pressed together as she fiddled with the bottom of her skirt. "Ari, please," she pleaded, her voice trembling slightly.

But her words fell on deaf ears as Ari continued with the story, a playful glint in his eyes. "And I found you," he said, his voice rising with excitement. "You were crying and crying."

Nina's face turned bright red as she interrupted him. "Ari, stop it!" she exclaimed. Despite her protests, Ari couldn't help but smile, amused by the reaction he was getting from her.

"Alright," he finally said in resignation, his tone laced with amusement. "I'll stop."

"Anyway, are you all headed to the cafeteria as well?" Nina asked with a hint of relief, a nervous smile twitched at the corner of her mouth as she tried to shake off the awkwardness of the previous conversation.

"Yes," I answered. "You want to come with us? We're all planning to eat together," I told her. In response, Nina offered a small, grateful nod, a flicker of a smile lifting the corners of her mouth as she happily walked alongside us.

As we made our way to the bustling cafeteria, my confusion grew more intense. I felt disoriented and lost. I bombarded my companions with a series of questions about the classes each building housed. It was evident from the tone of my voice that I had no idea where anything was.

As we approached the cafeteria, a buzz of energy filled the air as students passed by us. Each face seemed to beam with excitement as they went about their day. Amongst the sea of students, my eyes couldn't help but hone in on one in particular. It was a boy who was chatting with two other students who had the appearance of delinquents. Who is that? I thought to myself, narrowing my eyes as I stared intently at his back.

"Hey guys, look!" exclaimed Selkie with an urgent tone, his arm shooting out to point at the same boy I was looking at. As Selkie spoke, his furry ears twitched, signaling his excitement. "I've heard a lot of rumors about that kid," he continued, his expression growing more serious. "According to some upperclassmen, they say he's special born. A brute who has killed hundreds of beasts with his bare hands!" he explained, his whole body tensed up as his eyes widened in amazement. "Everyone is scared of him," he added. "Even the noble kids don't dare to get near him."

"Yes, I've heard the rumors as well," said Theodore. "I believe his name is... Felix... Felix Walton." With a sudden jolt, I felt my heart drop to the pit of my stomach as I realized who he was talking about.

Felix. The name echoed in my mind, memories of the past flooding back to me. And now, he was here. In this school. Standing in front of me. My eyes widened in shock, betraying my otherwise calm exterior.

"Well, we should keep our distance from him," said Theodore, then brought a hand up to pat my shoulder, pulling me out of my thoughts. "Come on, Arata."

Ignoring his words, I kept my gaze forward, my lips curling upwards into a grin. "I think I'm gonna go say hi to him."