He continued to stroll leisurely from the library toward the garden where they usually gather.
[Master, are you meeting Arya and Emilia now? (๑˃ᴗ˂̵)و]
’Yes,’ Orion responded, a gentle smile forming on his face as he admired the scenery. ’I couldn’t meet them in the morning, maybe now they will be there?’
[Indeed, nothing wrong in trying!]
While chatting, he continued to walk toward his destination.
Meanwhile, high above Thunderpeak Royal Academy, in the Sky Pavilion, Dean Alariel stood quietly, gazing out of the ornate windows overlooking the entire campus.
Her ash-grey hair flowed gracefully down her back, catching the sunlight gently, while her sharp silver eyes reflected both intrigue and subtle amusement.
"Seventy-seventh floor..." she murmured softly to herself, folding her arms thoughtfully. "To think Orion would actually surpass even my initial expectations. And not only that, he was also hiding another element, huh."
A complex mix of surprise, curiosity, and... determination flickered briefly across her calm, elegant features.
"I had anticipated that what he had shown would not be his full potential, but to think he had hidden another Element... This boy really continues to surprise me." She whispered softly, her voice filled with faint exasperation. "How many more secrets do you hold, Orion?"
She turned away from the window, pacing slowly through her elegantly furnished chamber, robes rustling gently behind her. Her brows knitted thoughtfully, and she paused, glancing toward the exit.
"Looks like I really need to have a good chat with Old Man Eldric about him. This should help me get good compensation for the Mana Pool." She lightly giggled at the end of her words, brushing back a stray strand of her hair.
"Should I go today? Hmm, I can’t delay much longer, he might leave for the Empire to assess the situation there again." She thoughtfully said.
Back down in the Academy, as Orion slowly approached the garden’s central area, he slowed his steps, scanning the surroundings and looking below the cherry blossom tree.
But even after carefully searching, he found no sign of Arya or Emilia anywhere. However, he found someone unexpected standing below the tree—Nyss Blackwell.
Orion slowed his approach as he recognized the solitary figure seated quietly beneath the branches of the cherry blossom tree.
Soft petals danced gently in the breeze, occasionally floating downward to settle gracefully upon the figure’s dark attire.
Nyss sat alone on the polished stone bench, a stark contrast against the vibrant colors surrounding her.
Her black hair fell like midnight silk over her shoulders, framing a pale, contemplative face with sharp eyes.
Even from a distance, her isolated presence was palpable—students carefully gave the entire area around her a wide berth, avoiding even fleeting eye contact.
A faint curiosity tugged at Orion’s thoughts as he studied Nyss’s solitary posture. She appeared lost in thought, gazing blankly toward the distant horizon, her expression carefully calm yet tinged subtly with loneliness.
Feeling a surge of curiosity, Orion silently walked closer, footsteps muffled by the soft grass beneath him.
As he gently took a seat next to her, the bench creaked softly, prompting Nyss to finally glance toward him. Her eyes widened briefly with surprise before a slight warmth flickered within her usually distant gaze.
"Orion," she greeted quietly, her voice soft as she hesitatingly said, "I... wasn’t expecting to see you here."
[Master! She is lying!! You come here daily. (≖_≖ )]
Orion smiled gently, choosing to ignore Lumi as he noticed the subtle brightness that had briefly appeared in her usually reserved expression. "Likewise. I was actually searching for Arya and Emilia, but it seems fate had other plans."
A faint, hesitant smile tugged at Nyss’s lips, her eyes momentarily drifting toward the cherry blossoms drifting silently around them. "Both of them are on the cusp of breakthrough, so they are taking a few days off."
Orion nodded slowly, his curiosity now focused entirely upon Nyss. A comfortable silence settled briefly between them, punctuated only by the quiet rustling of leaves and distant murmurs of students.
Finally, Nyss broke the quiet first.
"Congratulations, by the way," she said softly, glancing toward him again, a subtle warmth could be felt in her voice. "I heard about your tower climb from the surrounding students. Seventy-seven floors—impressive."
"Thanks," Orion replied warmly, smiling gently. "It was a bit harder than I’d expected, but at least I gained a lot from it."
Nyss studied him carefully, her eyes reflecting a complicated blend of admiration and hesitation.
Her expression soon shifted subtly to something darker, more uncertain. Remembering their previous encounter, Orion seized this moment of vulnerability to gently broach the topic.
"Nyss," he began carefully, maintaining gentle eye contact, "last time we met, you looked at me strangely. Like there was something bothering you. Do you mind if I ask what it was?"
Nyss immediately tensed, her expression hardening defensively. She shook her head quickly, averting her eyes. "It was nothing. Just... something personal. It’s not important."
But Orion sensed a deeper struggle beneath her dismissive words. Gently, he placed his hand on the bench beside her—not too close, yet close enough to convey sincerity.
"Nyss, please don’t feel pressured, but if there’s something you wish to share, I’m here to listen. Sometimes, keeping things bottled up only makes them heavier."
Nyss slowly glanced toward him again, her guarded gaze softening at Orion’s earnest expression.
She hesitated visibly, conflict flashing behind her eyes.
Finally, she exhaled deeply, her voice nearly a whisper. "When you fell unconscious at the Origin Mana Pool... I thought something terrible might have happened. I thought it could be my fault."
Surprised, Orion furrowed his brow gently, confusion evident in his voice. "Your fault? Why would you think that?"
[Ohhh, are we going to learn why people call her the Death Flower??]
Nyss closed her eyes momentarily, clearly struggling internally. Her slender fingers tightly gripped the edges of her dark robes, betraying the emotional turmoil beneath her composed exterior.
"Because people around me... always suffer," she whispered softly, almost bitterly. "Ever since I was born, tragedy has followed me like a relentless shadow."
Orion’s expression softened further, his empathy deepening into genuine concern. He remained silent, giving Nyss the space and courage to continue.
"When I was born, my mother died," she spoke softly, her voice trembling slightly. "By the time I was three, my elder sister—the person whom I was closest to after my mother’s passing—also died. Before I even turned seven, my father passed away unexpectedly."
Her voice grew steadier as she recounted the painful memories, but sadness filled every quiet word. "Slowly, the friends I made, the people who cared for me—one by one, they either died mysteriously or became terribly ill. Everyone who got close to me suffered. It was as if I was cursed."
Orion listened carefully, a deep ache building inside him as Nyss shared her painful past. Her voice carried a weight of loneliness he hadn’t imagined possible from someone who usually projected such icy strength.
"Now, only my aunt remains," Nyss finished quietly, her gaze distant yet pained. "She’s the only one unaffected by this... curse. For a moment, I feared that because I started feeling closer to you and the others, something might have happened to you as well. Seeing you unconscious that day... I thought it was happening again."