The air in the Headmaster's office remained heavy, though the sharp edge of the earlier argument had transitioned into something more calculating.
"Argh... tsk. Hey, Teach," Rixsa began, shifting her weight. "How long is the trek to Blue Jade? I need a timeline."
The Headmaster looked up from her paperwork, her expression unreadable. "Given the current influx of monsters and the recent collapse of the primary hillside road, I'd estimate twenty-one to twenty-six days."
"Twenty-six days?!" Rixsa's ears stood straight up in shock. "You've got to be kidding me!"
"Why the panic?" Alexis interjected, her voice cool and mocking. "Are you actually worried something will happen to Nervall? You know he's more than capable of handling himself, right?"
"I'm not worried about his safety," Rixsa snapped. "I'm worried about her. Audo is obsessive, she's clingy, and she's always looking for an excuse to 'experiment' on him."
"You're one to talk about being clingy," Alexis retorted. "Besides, Nervall isn't the type to do anything willingly without some benefits."
Rixsa let out a long, ragged breath, her shoulders finally dropping. "I guess you're right. I'm just overthinking it. There's nothing to be worried about." She turned back to the desk and bowed respectfully. "If that's all, Headmaster, I'll take my leave and start preparing."
"Take care, Rixsa," the Headmaster replied.
The door closed with a soft, final click. Silence settled over the room, leaving only Alexis and the Headmaster. Alexis lingered, her stoic mask flickering for just a moment.
"Do you really think something will happen between Audo and Nervall, Headmaster?"
"Going to? No. Already happened? Absolutely," the Headmaster said, a dry smirk playing on her lips. "Audo usually sticks to herself, but she's a total pervert. And getting Nervall to agree to something perverse is surprisingly easy."
Alexis blinked. "It is?"
"Oh, yes. Just ask him. As long as it doesn't cause physical or mental harm—and if he gets something out of the deal—he'll say yes. Last time, I secured a fresh batch of Blue Honey simply by offering him rare ingredients for his cooking."
"Oh... does Rixsa know this?"
"Not a chance. She's too oblivious, convinced that Nervall is some kind of pure, innocent soul. He's far from it."
Alexis looked down, her voice growing smaller. "I see... so, are you close with him, by chance?"
"He's one of my favorite students," the Headmaster noted, her tone softening as she leaned forward. "Why? Are you interested, Alexis?"
"Um... well... a little," Alexis admitted, her face warming. "But I don't even know what his type is."
"Go ask him yourself when you arrive. I'm sure he'd tell you. You have nothing to worry about; he isn't going to treat you like that last man did."
"I know that... but..." Alexis's voice trailed off as she gestured vaguely to her slender frame. "I don't have... assets. I'm fit, but that's it."
The Headmaster let out a dry chuckle. "If you're worried about your body, relax. I may not know his specific 'type,' but he hangs around tomboys constantly. From what I've seen, he doesn't even prefer girls with large breasts, so you've still got a shot. Plus, you have short hair—he's always had a soft spot for that. And stop acting like you're completely flat. You're fine."
Alexis let out a small, relieved breath. "I guess I am just overthinking it again."
"Are you just going to keep lying to her?" a mature, melodic voice rang out from the corner of the room.
Alexis spun around, her hand instinctively going to the hilt of her sword. "Professor Milive?!"
"Hello, Alex," the woman responded, stepping out from the shadows near the bookshelves.
"How long have you been standing there?"
"I just arrived; I have private matters to discuss with the Headmaster. Would you excuse us?" Milive smiled kindly at Alexis before leaning in. "And for the record, Nervall likes that can handle him . Don't listen to the Headmaster—she's just messing with you. Aside from Audo, you probably have the best chance of capturing his heart."
"Really?" Alexis asked, her eyes widening.
"If it weren't true, he'd be with Rixsa by now, wouldn't he?"
"Good point. Thank you, Professor," Alexis said, a genuine, soft smile gracing her face. She bowed to both women and exited the office with a newfound spring in her step.
The first few nights of the journey were less of a military expedition and more of a cold war wrapped in a survival manual. By night three, the crackling of the campfire was the only thing filling the oppressive silence between the two White Coats.
The friction started almost immediately. Rixsa, being a creature of habit and high metabolism, had insisted on a heavy protein meal, while Alexis preferred a light, mana-enriched elven tea.
Rixsa began setting up a sturdy, animal-hide tent she'd hauled along, while Alexis simply activated a shimmering, high-tier elven "Wind-Shelter" charm.
"You really think that little bubble is going to keep out a Mountain Bear?" Rixsa scoffed, hammering a stake into the dirt.
"It keeps out the wind, the rain, and—most importantly—the smell of wet dog," Alexis replied without looking up from her book.
Rixsa looked over at Alexis wanting to throw a handful of mud at her.
The second night was spent in a canyon where the wind howled like the damned. Rixsa's wolf-kin ears were constantly twitching, picking up every skittering pebble.
Rixsa refused to go to sleep during Alexis's watch. She sat on a rock, sharpening her claws with a whetstone, her gold eyes glowing in the dark.
"Go to bed, Rixsa. My perception stats are higher than yours. I'll see them coming," Alexis muttered, her hand resting on her hilt.
"Yeah, you'll see them, but you're a stick. I'm the one who has to actually hit them before they rip your pretty little head off," Rixsa shot back. They ended up pulling a double-watch, neither trusting the other enough to close their eyes.
By the third night, the physical exhaustion was starting to sap their energy for shouting, leading to a much stranger atmosphere.
Rixsa was busy trying to repair a strap on her oversized combat boots when she caught Alexis staring into a small, enchanted vanity mirror. Alexis wasn't checking her armor; she was fluffing her short blonde hair and trying on a small, pale-blue ribbon she'd hidden in her pack.
"What's that? Are you planning on accessorizing for the monsters?" Rixsa teased, though her voice lacked its usual bite.
Alexis jumped, nearly dropping the ribbon. "It's... it's for wind resistance. It keeps the hair out of my eyes during a dash."
Rixsa narrowed her eyes. She remembered what the Headmaster had said about Nervall's types. Short hair... petite... Her gaze traveled to Alexis's slender frame. Wait. Is this stick actually trying to look cute for him?