As the two of them laughed, still catching their breath after the duel, Elara folded her arms and smiled.
"If you two are done, let's head back home."
From inside the house, Lalanat watched them through the open doorway. A small smile appeared on her face as she saw Alaric grinning happily after his victory.
"I knew you were good," she murmured to herself.
---
The next morning, before leaving for the academy, the four of them gathered around the breakfast table.
Caelin finished the last of his meal and stood up.
As he was about to leave, Alaric called out to him.
"Caelin! Want to train after school?"
Caelin smiled apologetically.
"Thanks for the invitation, but I need to finish some arithmetic homework this evening."
He thought for a moment before adding,
"How about after dinner instead?"
Alaric blinked.
"Arith... what?"
He scratched his head.
"...Eh, whatever. After dinner it is."
Lalanat couldn't help but smile.
"It's something we learned in class, remember?"
Alaric frowned as he searched his memory.
"...Oh."
"The lesson about numbers... and managing coins?"
"Yes," Lalanat replied with a nod.
"The teacher also gave us some problems to solve at home."
Alaric looked genuinely confused.
"...Wait."
"What class was that again?"
Lalanat stared at him.
"...But we're in the same class."
Both of them fell silent.
"...Eh?"
Elara suddenly slammed her hand on the table.
"Would you stop skipping lessons just because you're obsessed with swords and battles?"
Alaric shrugged without looking bothered.
"I don't need arithmetic to win a fight."
"That's exactly the kind of short-sighted thinking I'd expect from you," Elara replied.
She leaned forward.
"What if your general ordered you to scout the battlefield?"
"What if you couldn't even count the number of enemy soldiers?"
"How would you report back?"
Alaric paused.
"...Huh."
Lalanat joined in.
"And even knights have to manage money."
"You'll still need to count coins."
"That's important too."
Alaric raised an eyebrow.
"...Really?"
"Really," Lalanat answered firmly.
A brief silence settled over the table.
Then Elara turned toward Lalanat.
"Oh, right."
"How's your script coming along?"
"I've been trying not to pressure you since the performance is still next month..."
"...but we're starting to run out of time."
Lalanat took a small breath before answering.
"I'll finish it tonight."
"I'm almost done."
Alaric looked at her curiously.
"Does it have a title already?"
Lalanat hesitated.
"...It does."
She looked away in embarrassment.
"It's called..."
"'A Merchant Falls in Love with His Slave.'"
Elara's eyebrows lifted.
"Oh?"
"Does the title have some deeper meaning?"
Lalanat's face immediately turned red.
"N-no!"
"It's just..."
"...a fantasy story."
Alaric tilted his head.
"But if it doesn't have a meaning..."
"...do we even have a chance of winning?"
The words slipped out before he could think.
Lalanat's expression immediately fell.
"...Why did she even choose me?"
"What if nobody likes my story?"
"...Maybe I shouldn't have written it at all."
Elara's eyes widened.
She immediately turned toward Alaric.
"Idiot!"
"What are you doing?"
"Apologize."
"Now."
Alaric panicked.
"Ah! I-I'm sorry!"
"I didn't mean it like that!"
No matter how many times he apologized, Elara continued scolding him, while Lalanat could only hide her face in embarrassment.
Before long, the dining room filled with their usual noise, and despite everything, laughter slowly returned to the table as they prepared to leave for the academy.
Later that morning, while the lesson continued, Alaric sat by the window with his chin resting on his hand.
His eyes drifted outside, but his thoughts were somewhere far away.
For some reason...
The name Lara still lingered in the back of his mind.
---
Several years earlier.
A young boy dressed as a knight ran happily through the backyard, a wooden sword clutched tightly in his hand.
As he wandered around the garden, he noticed someone sitting alone near the pond.
It was a little girl with soft brown hair, wearing a pink dress and a small amulet around her neck.
Her knees were pulled close to her chest.
Her eyes were red.
She looked as though she had been crying.
Curious, Alaric quietly walked over and gently pointed his wooden sword toward her.
"Who are you?"
The little girl flinched in surprise and looked back at him with watery eyes.
"...It hurts," she whispered.
She lowered her gaze toward her knees.
Alaric immediately crouched beside her.
Both of her knees were scraped and covered with dirt.
"What happened?" he asked.
The little girl sniffled.
"I was chasing a butterfly."
"Then I saw the pond."
"I tried to stop..."
"...but I tripped."
Alaric thought for a moment before turning around.
"Hop on."
The girl blinked.
"...Huh?"
He patted his back proudly.
"My dad carries my mom whenever she's tired."
"So I'll carry you too."
A small smile slowly appeared on the girl's face.
She wiped away the last of her tears before climbing carefully onto his back.
Alaric stood up.
"What's your name?"
"My mommy and papa call me Lara."
"Lara..."
Alaric repeated the name quietly.
"I've never seen you here before."
Lara nodded.
"My parents came to visit."
"They said they were saying goodbye before we leave for the neighboring kingdom."
Alaric frowned.
"You shouldn't wander around without an adult."
Lara lowered her head.
"...I won't do it again."
Alaric nodded proudly.
"Good."
As he carried her across the garden, he couldn't help muttering to himself,
"Gees..."
"Adults really like parties and drinking."
Lara giggled.
"What if we ask that maid for help?"
Alaric's eyes lit up.
"Oh!"
"That's a good idea."
The two hurried toward one of the nearby maids.
She gently cleaned Lara's wounds before carefully wrapping fresh bandages around both knees.
Once everything was finished, Alaric looked toward Lara.
"Want to play?"
He glanced at her bandaged knees.
"...Well."
"Maybe not today."
Lara smiled shyly.
"...Maybe next time."
"Thank you."
Alaric puffed out his chest proudly.
"My dad always says..."
"A man should help people when they need it."
With that, he grabbed his wooden sword and happily ran back toward the garden.
Lara quietly watched him disappear into the distance.
"...Alaric."
She softly whispered his name before smiling to herself.
---
The ringing of the academy bell suddenly pulled Alaric back to reality.
"...Lara."
He frowned slightly.
"Why does that name sound so familiar...?"
A second later, he shrugged.
"...Eh."
"Food first."
Just then, Lalanat, Caelin, and Elara appeared outside the classroom.
"There you are," Elara called.
"We're heading to the dining hall."
Alaric stood up immediately.
"Coming!"
By the time the final bell rang, students began packing their bags and leaving the classroom.
Alaric stretched as he stood up.
"Let's head home."
As he reached the door, he glanced back.
"Lala?"
"You're not coming?"
Lalanat smiled apologetically.
"I finished the script last night."
"I still need to help the drama team rehearse, so I'll be staying at the academy for a while."
She adjusted the papers she was carrying.
"I'll probably eat somewhere nearby too, so you don't have to wait for me."
Caelin nodded.
"I'll be staying as well."
"I have a role in the drama."
Alaric smirked.
"So you're the slave?"
Smack.
Before he could laugh at his own joke, Elara smacked the back of his head.
"Idiot."
"Obviously he's the merchant."
Alaric rubbed his head.
"...I was just asking."
"Sure you were," Elara replied dryly.
Without another word, she grabbed his sleeve.
"Come on."
The two of them left the academy, bickering the entire way.
Lalanat watched them disappear through the school gates before letting out a small laugh.
"They really never stop arguing."
Caelin smiled.
"...Somehow, I think that's just how they get along."
Lalanat nodded.
"...Maybe."
The two then turned and headed toward the drama hall together.
---
Meanwhile...
On their way back to the academy residence, Alaric and Elara noticed a small child standing alone by the roadside.
The little girl was crying, rubbing her eyes with both hands.
Elara immediately hurried over.
"Oh dear..."
She knelt in front of the child.
"What's wrong?"
The little girl sniffled.
"...I can't find my mommy."
Tears continued rolling down her cheeks.
Elara gently wiped them away with her hand.
"It's alright."
"We'll help you find her."
"So don't cry, okay?"
The little girl took a shaky breath.
"...O-okay."
Alaric crouched down beside her.
"You must be tired."
He turned around and patted his back.
"Come on."
"I'll carry you."
The little girl smiled faintly before climbing onto his back.
As they started walking, Alaric asked,
"Which direction did you come from?"
She pointed down one of the nearby streets.
"...That way."
"I looked for her..."
"...but I couldn't find her."
Alaric nodded.
"We'll check there first."
Beside him, Elara suddenly fell silent.
She stared absentmindedly at the road beneath her feet.
"...Elara?"
No response.
"Elara."
Still nothing.
"...Oi."
She blinked and looked up.
"...Ah."
"Sorry."
"I was thinking about something."
She smiled awkwardly before catching up with them.
"Let's search that street first."
"If we still can't find her..."
"...we'll ask the town guards for help."
The three continued walking through the streets together.
As they passed by, a few villagers couldn't help whispering among themselves.
"They already have a child?"
"What a cute little family."
Elara immediately lowered her head, hiding part of her face to avoid being recognized.
Just then...
Grrrr...
Her stomach growled loudly.
Alaric looked at her.
Then burst into laughter.
"Pfft."
Elara glared at him, her cheeks turning bright red.
Alaric tried to hold back another laugh.
"...Let's get something to eat first."
He looked toward the little girl.
"You hungry?"
She nodded shyly.
"...Okay."
The three of them stopped at a nearby food stall.
Not long after they sat down, a woman who looked to be in her forties came running toward them, her face filled with panic.
The little girl's eyes immediately lit up.
"Mommy!"
She jumped off Alaric's back and ran straight into the woman's arms.
The woman hugged her tightly before repeatedly bowing toward Alaric and Elara.
"Thank you."
"Thank you so much."
After expressing her gratitude several more times, she left with her daughter.
Alaric watched them disappear into the crowd.
Then he turned toward Elara.
"Have you ever gotten lost like that?"
Elara narrowed her eyes.
"...So you can laugh at me too?"
Alaric immediately shook his head.
"N-no."
"I'm just curious."
Elara looked away for a moment.
"...Once."
"It happened when I was little."
"In the Kingdom of Bane."
Alaric stopped walking.
"...Wait."
"You've been to Bane?"
Elara nodded quietly.
"...Yeah."
A faint blush appeared on her cheeks.
"There was..."
"...someone kind."
"He helped me."
Alaric blinked.
"...Huh."
"That came out of nowhere."
Elara looked at him for a long second before quietly muttering,
"...Idiot."
The two continued walking home together, completely unaware that they had just been talking about the very same childhood memory.
Meanwhile, after finishing their work with the drama team, Lalanat and Prince Caelin left the academy together.
The streets were quieter than usual, and for a while, neither of them spoke.
Wanting to break the silence, Caelin glanced toward her.
"Can I ask you something?"
Lalanat nodded.
"Sure."
"Is the story you wrote... based on someone?"
Lalanat stiffened for a moment.
"Ah..."
"...Kind of."
"But not really."
Caelin smiled.
"That somehow answers everything and nothing at the same time."
Lalanat let out a small laugh before taking a quiet breath.
"It's not based on a specific person."
"It's more about an idea."
"What kind of idea?" Caelin asked.
Lalanat looked up at the evening sky.
"That love doesn't really have boundaries."
"It isn't tied to someone's status..."
"Or where they come from."
"It's more like..."
She searched for the right words.
"...a feeling."
"Something that can reach anyone."
Caelin looked at her with quiet surprise.
"That's deeper than I expected."
"I thought it would just be a simple romance."
Lalanat smiled shyly.
"Most people think that."
The two continued walking side by side.
After a few moments, Caelin suddenly spoke again.
"You like Alaric."
Lalanat nearly stopped walking.
Her fingers tightened around the strap of her bag.
"N-no."
"I mean..."
"...he's just..."
She lowered her gaze.
"...motivating."
Caelin waited patiently.
Lalanat continued.
"He works hard."
"He says exactly what's on his mind."
"And even when he's scared..."
"...he still keeps moving forward."
A gentle smile appeared on her face.
"When I'm around him..."
"...I feel like I should become a better version of myself too."
Caelin nodded slowly.
"...That sounds dangerous."
Lalanat blinked.
"Dangerous?"
Caelin smiled faintly.
"Because feelings rarely stay where they begin."
"They grow."
"And someday..."
"...you might wish he'd choose you."
Lalanat looked down at the ground.
"...Maybe."
"But even if that day comes..."
"...I won't be selfish."
"I don't want to hold him back."
"Or make his life more complicated."
Caelin looked at her thoughtfully.
"If love really has no boundaries..."
"...are you sure you're strong enough to ignore your own heart forever?"
Lalanat fell silent.
After a long pause, she finally answered.
"...I'm not the only one who looks at him that way."
Caelin glanced toward her.
"...Ah."
Lalanat smiled weakly.
"Girls notice these things."
Caelin chuckled softly.
"I honestly thought the two of you looked more like siblings."
Lalanat's eyes widened.
"...You knew who I meant?"
Caelin nodded.
"Men listen more than they let on."
Lalanat couldn't help laughing.
Then her expression softened again.
"...Can you keep this between us?"
Caelin answered without hesitation.
"Of course."
He lowered his voice slightly.
"Especially when it comes to someone's feelings."
Lalanat smiled with relief.
"...Thank you."
The two continued walking until they reached the road where their paths separated.
Caelin stopped for a moment and looked up at the moon hanging quietly above them.
A faint smile crossed his face.
"...I hope you're paying attention."
Then, without another word, they each continued toward home.
That evening, the atmosphere around the dinner table was unusually quiet.
No one spoke much.
Tomorrow marked the beginning of the Chosen Class.
Even though everyone tried to act normal, the tension was impossible to ignore.
Especially for Prince Caelin and Princess Elara.
Unlike the others, they carried more than just their own expectations.
Every member of their royal families had once studied at Elysium Academy.
To perform poorly now would not only disappoint themselves...
It would reflect on their families as well.
The silence lingered until Alaric suddenly spoke, his mouth still half full of food.
"What?"
"You guys are so excited that you forgot how to talk?"
He chuckled to himself.
Elara slowly looked up.
"...Finish chewing first."
Without waiting for a response, she quietly stood and left the dining room.
Alaric watched her go.
His smile slowly disappeared.
"...Did I tease her too much?"
Caelin shook his head gently.
"Not really."
"It's just..."
"...sometimes it's harder to hear those jokes from someone you know."
Alaric looked confused.
"Someone I know?"
Caelin nodded.
"You're both competing tomorrow."
"If you do well..."
"...and she doesn't..."
"...it'll weigh on her more than she'd like to admit."
Alaric fell silent.
"...Oh."
He scratched the back of his head.
"I wouldn't make fun of her for losing."
"At least she's trying."
Caelin looked at him with mild surprise.
"...I see."
After a brief pause, Alaric spoke again.
"But..."
"I've never actually seen Elara practice."
"Is she really that confident?"
Lalanat smiled faintly.
"She practices early in the morning."
"Not at night like you."
"She says the morning air helps her concentrate."
Realization crossed Alaric's face.
"Ah..."
"That explains it."
"Then she'll probably be fine."
He leaned back slightly before continuing.
"Besides..."
"This isn't something one person can win alone."
"It depends on all of us."
Caelin nodded.
"Exactly."
Lalanat nodded as well.
"Yeah."
Alaric folded his arms proudly.
"Even if Elara wins the dance competition..."
"...it won't matter if people like me lose the sword duel..."
"...or if we fail the quizzes or drama."
Caelin smiled.
"That's exactly what she's worried about."
Alaric blinked.
"...Exactly what?"
Caelin's expression softened.
"She isn't worried about herself."
"She's worried about everyone carrying the class."
Alaric remained quiet for a moment.
Then he slowly nodded.
"...I get it now."
He clenched his fist.
"Then I'll do my best."
"At the very least..."
"...I'll make it to the finals."
Lalanat and Caelin exchanged a glance before quietly laughing.
Alaric looked between them.
"...What?"
The two simply smiled.
"Nothing."
The conversation slowly faded, and once again the dining room became peaceful.
But this time...
The silence no longer felt heavy.
Each of them carried the same determination into the night, quietly preparing themselves for the day that awaited them.
The next morning, Elysium Academy buzzed with excitement.
Students hurried across the campus, their voices filling the air as they gathered around the event grounds.
Today marked the beginning of the Chosen Class.
For first-year students, it was one of the academy's biggest annual events.
Individual competitions such as sword dueling, archery, and dancing awarded three points to the winning class.
Team events carried even greater weight.
The quiz competition awarded five points, while the drama performance offered a massive ten.
For the individual events, first place earned three points, second place received two, and third place one.
In the team quiz, the winning class earned five points, followed by three for second place and two for third.
Drama remained the deciding event for many classes.
First place received ten points.
Second earned seven.
Third received five.
At the end of the festival, the class with the highest total score would be awarded the title of **The Chosen Class**, a title they would proudly carry until the following year's competition.
Although every year had its own Chosen Class, only one class among the first years could claim the honor.
The event would last for three days, followed by a celebration on the fourth.
---
Since his sword duel wouldn't begin until the afternoon, Alaric decided to visit the performance hall first.
"I should have enough time to watch Elara dance," he muttered to himself.
As he stood near the entrance, someone gently poked his shoulder from behind.
"Aren't you going inside?"
Alaric turned around.
"Oh... Lala."
He smiled.
"Let's watch together."
Lalanat returned the smile with a small nod.
The two entered the hall and quietly found seats among the growing crowd.
One performance followed another.
Some dancers earned polite applause.
Others drew louder cheers.
Alaric slowly rested his chin on one hand.
"...This is taking forever."
His eyelids grew heavier.
Just as he was about to drift off—
Lalanat nudged him sharply.
"It's Elara."
Alaric straightened immediately.
"Oh."
His eyes fixed on the stage.
Lalanat couldn't help smiling to herself.
I knew he'd wake up for that.
The hall gradually fell silent.
The stage remained hidden behind a large curtain.
One by one, the candles around the room were extinguished until only darkness remained.
Then...
The curtain slowly open.
Soft music echoed through the hall.
At the center of the stage stood a circle of glowing candles surrounding a bed of red and pink flowers.
A single figure stepped forward.
Barefoot.
Princess Elara.
The moment she began to move...
The audience fell completely silent.
Each step was slow.
Graceful.
Almost unreal.
Every movement seemed deliberate, as though she were reaching toward something only she could see.
Her breathing grew heavier as the performance continued, giving the dance an unsettling beauty.
Whispers spread throughout the hall.
"She's incredible..."
"Beautiful..."
"I've never seen anything like this."
Lalanat quietly whispered,
"...That's Chorós tou Thanátou."
Alaric glanced toward her.
"What kind of dance is that?"
"It's called the Dance of Death," Lalanat answered.
"There are many stories about it."
"No one knows if any of them are true."
Alaric looked back at the stage.
"...Sounds more like a ritual than a dance."
He watched Elara in silence for another moment.
"...Still."
"It's beautiful."
Then a thought crossed his mind.
If what Lala said is true...
Why would Elara choose this dance?
Out of every performance she could have given...
...why this one?
The music slowly came to an end.
Elara lowered herself into a graceful bow.
For a heartbeat...
The hall remained silent.
Then the applause erupted.
It was louder than for any performance before hers.
"The results of today's dance competition," the announcer declared, "will be posted on the academy's information board this afternoon, after the individual events have concluded."
---
Backstage, Elara slowly let out a long breath.
She replayed every step of the performance in her mind.
The audience's reaction had been encouraging.
At the very least...
She had done everything she could for Class Two.
Outside the hall, Alaric stood up.
"I should head to the arena."
"My match starts soon."
Lalanat smiled.
"I'll wait for Elara."
"Then we'll come cheer for you."
Alaric grinned.
"Good."
"Then don't forget to cheer loudly."
With a confident smile, he turned and made his way toward the arena.