That same day, in the afternoon, Katie and I found ourselves in the library. We had begun setting up the blueprint and choosing all the stuff that we wanted to use for the project.

For the blueprint, we just used regular-sized paper and made a rough layout of where exactly we wanted things like the title, headings, and written texts to be.

Between Katie and I, we both settled that it should be her to write out all the information on the tri-fold project board. It's not that I have bad handwriting, it's just that hers is better.

After the incident that happened yesterday, Katie seemed even more quiet than normal. There was a small shift in the way she acted today compared to yesterday. If she didn't tell me much before, she doesn't tell me anything now. Perhaps she just feels uncomfortable about the whole thing. It's better that I don't bring up that incident.

Not only her but there was also a shift in my own behavior. Not because of the incident that happened yesterday involving Katie, nor what happened this morning with Professor Amber, but as I worked alongside Katie, an indescribable sensation crawled across my skin, a feeling that made the hairs on my neck stand on end. Someone was undoubtedly watching us.

I resisted the urge to glance around, not wanting to show that I was aware of their presence. Instead, I continued working alongside Katie, faking deep concentration as I played my part in the assignment at hand while my mind grappled with the unsettling awareness of unseen eyes upon me.

Anytime Katie said something, It looked like I was focused on what she was saying but in reality, I would look past her and try to uncover who among the library's inhabitants housed a secret interest in my presence. Was it a curious student? Or perhaps someone entirely unexpected? The mystery lingered in my mind, and I couldn't shake off the fact that the answer lay just beyond my line of sight.

Flare didn't seem to have picked up on this. However, for a long time now she's had this weird sense fixed on me. Anything that bothers me, makes me uncomfortable, or even extremely happy, she's able to perceive. A couple of times now she tried getting my attention to try and understand what was eating away at me. Each time, I only pet her, disregarding her worries and letting her know that I was alright, but I knew she didn't buy it.

After some time working in the library, I took a glance out the window and noticed that it got dark. Students who were in the library began leaving one after another. To my surprise, that Aria girl hadn't shown up like she did the day before.

"Hey Katie," I spoke just as we finished cleaning up our area. "Are you heading to the dorms from here?" Hearing my question, she only nodded, causing me to feel hesitant about what I was going to say next. "Mind if I walk you to the girl's dorm?"

My question lingered in the air for a moment. During that time, I noticed Katie's movements suddenly pause for a brief second. Turning my way, her face remained solemn and indifferent as she only uttered a single word, "Why?"

Even though I expected her to question me, I still found it difficult to answer. I didn't have a good reason to give her for suggesting what I did. Other than, 'I'm paranoid because someone is watching us and I want to see to it that you return to your dorm safely,' but I'm not going to say that.

"Just... because..." Was what came out of my mouth instead, which I immediately regretted. I should really think up some more clever lies. Now she's definitely going to say no.

She tilted her head to the side and cast a sideways glance, unsure of what to say. "...Okay."

What? Really? These thoughts came to my mind as soon as I heard her answer. Without giving it any further thought, I hastily said, "Great, now that we've finished cleaning up, let's head out."

Having already put all of our belongings away, I took the responsibility of carrying the large poster board below my arm and hastily expressed that we should hurry. We then exited the building, letting the darkness of the night shower us with its cool breeze.

We followed the lamppost-lit paved road toward the direction of the dormitories. As I expected, the person who was watching us followed a safe distance behind us. There were no students around us so I could turn around and potentially get a glimpse at this mysterious person but I didn't. I resisted the urge simply because I didn't want to raise a commotion here and put Katie in some unwanted trouble. I suspect, whoever this person is, that they are after me.

Katie and I walked in silence for a long time before I finally decided to start a conversation and rid the air between us of its awkwardness. "So? Why did you agree to my request for me to accompany you?"

Katie remained silent for a moment, making me feel like she didn't want to converse with me. "Just because," she finally answered, delivering the same words I gave her, which stirred a bit of amusement within me. Just then, the air fell dead silent once again. "Can I point something out," she spoke, hesitant to do so.

Since she always bore a serious persona and only spoke up when needed to, I was a bit eager to hear what she had to ask. "Go ahead," I replied, open to talk about anything.

"You've been acting... weird today," she said. Through the corner of my eye, I could see her head turning my way, her face unchanging. "You seemed more tense than normal."

My eyes widened slightly and I shifted my attention from the path ahead to the girl walking beside me, my actions ringing a certain level of truth to her words. "How did... you know?"

"Well for one, you kept moving your legs rapidly and you were doing the same thing with your fingers, constantly taping them against the table. Overall you were just restless." She took a moment before following through with her next words. Judging by the way she held them back I could tell she was hesitant. "You were even calmer when you faced my brother yesterday."

Well, that's true. I too have to admit that, when faced with an unknown opponent, I lose my cool. Just knowing that there is someone watching and following us, as we speak, makes me feel uneasy, despite my strength.

"You're able to pick on small things like that." A small smile formed on my face as I turned my attention back to the path ahead. Her words reminded me of another elf woman I met years ago. "Is that an elf thing?"

Katie found it difficult to reply to my mumbling words as she too shifted her attention forward. In the next moment, she took a step closer to me and said, "Just, try to relax a little." Her words rang softly in my ears with a discernable tone of comfort.

For the most part, we remained quiet on the way to the dorms. However, this time the awkward silence was gone. Both of us were just walking calmly, being our antisocial selves beneath the night sky sprinkled with countless stars.

The air was cool, brushing against my skin. The night was dark, and the path I walked on was devoid of any students only lit by lampposts lining the way ahead. For a long time, there was an eerie calmness in the air. Despite being followed, just knowing that Flare and Katie walked beside me, drew away my worries.

Shortly after, we arrived at the dorm area. There were a few groups of students outside, each of them getting one last chatter in before calling it a day. I didn't want to get all that close to the girl's building for fear that others would see me and view me as some kind of creep. So, without uttering a single word, I came to a stop and stared at the building.

Katie walked a step ahead before stopping and turning around. "Is this as far as you'll go?" she asked, her tone unchanging. I turned my attention down to her and before I could get a word in she spoke again. "This is goodbye then." Walking up to me, she took the project board out of my hands and turned around. "I'll see you tomorrow." With that, she turned around and began to walk away.

"Wait," I called out, my voice calm and even. She, once again, stopped in her tracks and turned around, her hair swishing slightly as she did. "Can you do something for me?"

Her head tilted to the side in curiosity, her face indifferent to my words. "What is it?"

"There is a girl inside there, her name is Nina, can you take Flare to her?" I asked. This wasn't anything rare, I would drop Flare off with Nina every couple of days so she could bathe more comfortably around other girls and get herself all cleaned up. However, this time, I had a different purpose.

"Sure, I can do that but what's Nina's room number?"

"Flare knows the way," I assured, taking a glance her way. "Go on, Flare." Hearing my words, Flare gave me a weird look but silently walked to Katie's side.

Katie turned to look down at Flare, and then back to me. Despite her lack of facial expression, due to her silence, I assumed she felt unsure about what I said. She probably thinks that Flare is just like any other ordinary dog, even though she's a wolf. "Alright then," Katie finally spoke. "Goodbye."

I lowered my head in a nod, silently acknowledging her words, and then stood still watching as they entered the building. Once their figures disappeared from my sight, I turned around and noticed that all the surrounding groups of students were beginning to disperse. Each boy and girl that were gathered went their separate ways.

As for me, I slowly walked toward the boy's dorm. Which was coincidentally the same way I sensed where the gaze was coming from. Step after step, I neared the still target, keeping myself as calm and neutral as I could.

Once I reached the closest point I could, I noted that the direction of the person watching me was just beside the dorm building, hiding within the bushes and trees that neatly lined the paved road Katie and I had just walked through. I stopped for a brief moment and gathered my mana. In the next second, I took off and ran toward where this mysterious person was hiding.

Shortly after, they began to run as well. A dark hooded figure sprinted out of the strings of trees and bushes and ran down the paved road. I followed close behind.

I could catch up to them if I ran at my full speed, but I don't know what to expect. Perhaps whoever this person was had a trick up their sleeve if that happened. The safest thing to do was to follow and inspect them closely but, then again, they might lure me into some sort of trap.

What should I do?

As I pondered what the best move would be I decided to close the distance and unveil the mystery person. By now, we had already reached the study halls. With my decision already in place I picked up my pace. With each second that passed, I got closer and closer until their figure was just inches away from my grasp.

Just then, two more hooded figures showed up, startling me. At that moment, while I was taken aback by their sudden appearance, one of them launched a highly concentrated wind attack at me, causing me to come to a stop and stumble a few steps back.

By the time I regained myself, I looked up, my gaze tracking their every move. The three of them began making their way to the roof of one of the buildings.

Seeing this, I focused my mana and made myself lighter. Without wasting a second, I sprinted forward and took a leap, the force of my jump carrying me to the top of the building in a second. However, before my feet met the roof, I noticed that two of the three figures worked together on another wind attack, this one twice as powerful as the previous one.

As soon as my figure appeared before them they launched it. High-speed winds raged past me, threatening to rip my skin apart. What's worse, due to my weightless state, I immediately took off flying like a rag doll across the sky.

Uh... this is not good... I thought to myself as I flipped uncontrollably in the air. Okay, focus, following that thought, my figure straightened. Woah, I certainly came a long way up. This sure brings back memories.

I scanned the area closely, looking at my soon-to-be landing spot. Somehow, I found myself falling toward the combat class arenas. Letting out a breath, I focused on slowing down my pace. With each passing moment, I slowly lowered myself to the bottom until my feet finally made contact with the comfort of the ground. Due to the momentum, I stumbled forward a bit and finally came to a stop.

"Haha," I let out a small laugh, recalling what had just happened. Things like that don't happen often but when they do they just have me boiling with adrenaline.

"Arata!" A startled voice, laced with surprise, cut through the silent air, reaching my ears. The familiarity of that voice struck a chord, causing my eyes to widen.