Despite seeing that Kevin was a student, Nyra didn’t immediately lower her guard, for all she knew, Kevin might be actively trying to eliminate her.
Maybe he was trying to take out stronger students to gain more points for himself, or maybe he was trying to help. At this point, she didn’t know yet; to her, Kevin was a large threat she needed to confirm before making a decision.
"W-What are you doing here?"
"I came here to—"
A sudden barrage of light appeared directly behind Kevin, aimed to take both him and Nyra out with a single barrage.
Three professors, one goal.
"Teleport us out of here!"
Nyra barked out, her leadership instincts immediately responding.
But Kevin didn’t follow orders, only smiling as he met the barrage head-on with his palm raised to meet it.
"Don’t need to."
[Dark Gluttony]
A large blob of pure darkness emerged from his arm, enough to surround them both as it absorbed the barrage into an unlimited void.
And as soon as the barrage from the professors slowed down, even slightly, because of hesitation.
That’s when Kevin moved.
[Gluttony Reversal]
The darkness surrounding them exploded outward, and with it, the shards of light were redirected to the professors in a counter barrage.
The professors responded quickly in formation, casting an entire line of light guardians to fend off the attack.
[Dark Step]
But Kevin teleported behind them, floating mid-air as he smiled grimly, his body wrapped by the dark serpent, its wide and open mouth already gathering magic from the air to prepare for its assault.
"C-Crap..."
BOOM!
*** Corvus’s Building
"Seems like he’s already doing his thing."
I said while Evelina rested against my back, the two of us sitting together in a classroom without a care in the world, fighting was fun, sure, but I sure as hell wouldn’t prefer it over her company.
"The senior council president under our control... thought it would take longer."
Evelina hummed, resting her head on my shoulder.
For her, the combat wasn’t the worst inconvenience this exam had to offer; it was the lack of pillows and comfort, surprisingly enough.
But of course, I was there to supplement it.
"Our?"
"Yes, you’re not just a servant anymore, remember?"
"Just trying to confirm, is all."
"Looks like someone’s got trust issues..." Evelina smirked, tilting her head to stare at my face.
Well... she wasn’t wrong, the amount of betrayal I faced as an assassin would make any normal person stop trusting anyone entirely.
But that didn’t really apply to her. I’d trust her with my life.
Evelina turned to the side, squirming slightly as she tried to find a comfortable position to sleep in, for someone so used to the best fabric and beds in the entire continent, she had to make do.
"I never expected my biggest problem would be lack of beds..."
She sighed, wrapping her arms around my waist as she tried to find a comfortable position.
While she didn’t want to openly ally with me during the examination for reputational reasons, none of that mattered here in this building.
No one could see us, either magically or physically. Corvus’s overwhelming aura, combined with our own, was enough to make any student suffocate from the pressure alone.
Doesn’t help that both of us have literal demons protecting us from being watched.
"I could try grabbing a bed from the medical district."
Evelina glared at me when I mentioned the offer, clinging to me tighter as she looked offended.
"No, I prefer this."
"You don’t need to pretend you’re uncomfortable, you know?"
"Shut up... give me some time to get used to this... lovey-dovey stuff." Evelina blushed a little at her words; she still couldn’t fathom doing stuff like this with another person.
But... at least she found someone who could handle her.
Then, without another second, bit me in the neck.
"Don’t keep me hanging... if I have my arms wrapped around you, the least you could do is reciprocate..."
I just chuckled at her cute response. At this point, I was acting as both her bed and her blanket—in short...
This was heaven on earth.
Her teeth weren’t sharp enough to hurt, but the message got across.
I hissed anyway. "You’re getting bold."
"You’re slow," she muttered against my neck.
I could feel her breath through my collar, warm and uneven. Not flustered enough to pull away, but just embarrassed enough to hide her face.
Cute.
Way too cute for someone feared by half the academy.
"Alright, alright," I said, sliding one arm around her shoulders and the other under her legs, pulling her fully into my lap. "Happy now?"
She stiffened for half a second. Trying to gauge whether it met her expectations.
Then immediately melted.
"...Maybe."
Maybe, my ass. I laughed.
Her entire weight leaned into me like she’d been waiting for it.
Outside the windows, faint flashes of distant spells lit up the sky like silent fireworks. The exam was still raging on. Explosions, barriers, and a hell of a lot of screaming.
And here we were, stealing a nap.
"...You’re warm," she mumbled.
"I’m a living, breathing human after all."
"Literal much?"
Her fingers hooked into my shirt, gripping it like I might disappear if she let go—or worse, find someone else to train and sweat with again...
The tough, elegant D’Arclight.
Reduced to this clingy mess.
If anyone saw her right now, they’d think it was a fake.
I rested my chin lightly on her head and closed my eyes.
"You can sleep," I said quietly. "I’ll keep watch."
"...You better," she whispered.
A pause.
Then softer.
"Don’t move."
"I won’t."
Her breathing slowed after that.
Gradual and steady. If I had to guess, she was probably roaming the entire building to find something comfortable to sleep on before I arrived.
My thumb traced lazy circles on her arm without thinking, and she shifted closer every time I stopped, like her body demanded the contact.
Guess I didn’t have much of a choice.
Not that I wanted one.
The distant booms faded into background noise.
The classroom grew still.
Warm.
Quiet.
Just the two of us and the slow rhythm of breathing.
At some point, my eyes got heavy too.
"...Cael," she murmured, half-asleep.
"Yeah?"
"...If I don’t see you the moment I wake up tomorrow, I’ll assume the worst."
I tightened my hold just a little.
"You’ll never shut up about that, will you?"
"It’s your fault..."