"Should I give them names?" Wein murmured, speaking in his sleep, no longer deeply asleep, with his hand covering his eyes.
The sound of vibration stirred his consciousness, though not his body. Still half-asleep, Wein tried to make sure it was the alarm from his pocket watch.
He pressed a few buttons, and not long after, a black wolf with orange eyes stared at him with its tongue out.
Like the moon, its eyes glowed in the darkness of the outer space sky, resembling a lunar shine. He then recalled a name and spoke it aloud. "You are… Lumine."
Wein immediately sat up but didn't jump out of bed. He remained seated, thinking of a name for his other wolf.
As white as snow, yet as striking as the brightest star in the night sky—"What if the name is Rigel?" said Loraine yesterday before she left.
Slowly, he realized it wasn't a bad name. Before his head exploded from overthinking—a common issue for him—Wein accepted the name.
He looked at Rigel and said, "Your name is Rigel." He smiled, then got off the bed to prepare to meet his friends.
---
Loraine tied her hair, looking into the mirror at her beautiful face—though she often felt it was nothing to be proud of.
Yet sometimes, she enjoyed boasting about her beauty, a contradiction that often left her confused. Loraine finally stood from her chair.
Soon, a white bird with a few horns on its head would arrive. Loraine was waiting for a letter from her parents delivered by that bird.
The Ofbeel bird was used by Elf nobility to send letters from one kingdom to another and had been used for thousands of years.
With its camouflage and disappearing abilities, the Ofbeel bird often became the target of human hunters—even though humans had ravens or pigeons for letter delivery.
"At last…" Loraine murmured. She slightly opened her window to make room for the Ofbeel bird to enter.
After a while, as the wind passed by, a sound like a raven—but softer—approached her window and perched on its edge.
Holding a letter in its beak, the bird released it as soon as it locked eyes with Loraine, having completed its task. Its next mission was to return safely.
The Ofbeel bird immediately turned away. Loraine walked over and took the scroll it dropped. She was about to speak to thank it, but the bird was too fast and had already flapped its wings to fly away.
I didn't even get to say thank you… she thought, sticking her head out of the window, unafraid of potential danger.
Loraine looked around before gazing straight ahead, where the Ofbeel bird was still flying low.
The blue sky—something she hadn't seen for a week—stunned her, making her want to explore more. Loraine looked down and could finally see the ground, though still veiled in a thin fog.
Lifting her head again, she saw trees that were nearly barren, and the cold outside was biting.
Loraine felt relieved. The apocalypse had finally ended, and they could go out again. Somehow, her suddenly calmed heart pulled her back, and she closed the window.
Now it's time to hear the second good news… no, the first, she murmured, pulling out her chair and making a scraping noise that was far weaker than her enthusiasm in opening the letter.
---
"So… you want to go home, Elaina?" Akylaa asked gently while flipping to a new page in the book she was reading.
"I might go there for a few days if there's no call from Gladius." Elaina opened her pocket watch, closed it, and then opened it again—unconsciously repeating it several times.
"Do you think that tree is Vernisius' doing?" Throwing a leading question, Akylaa leaned back more into her chair and closed her book.
Elaina paused, closed the watch on its final click, and looked at Akylaa seriously before returning to her usual expression.
"I don't know… That tree isn't from our world."
---
Wein Arcveil
"You may now leave the Academy for the winter break and return once the holiday ends. The fog has cleared, and sunlight now shines upon every building in the Academy. I, Director Claudia, wish you a wonderful break and see you soon." The radio transmission ended, and finally, the moment everyone had been waiting for arrived—they were free from the fog and could return after a difficult pandemic.
"Lumine, Rigel. Let's go." Wein Arcveil said, reaching for the door handle and pulling it. But a vibration from his thigh made him cancel the motion.
Still, Wein wanted to head out first and continue the discussion later. His right hand fumbled in his pocket while his left opened the door.
The door opened along with the sound of the wolf cubs' footsteps. Wein looked outside fully while finally retrieving his pocket watch.
He pulled it out, and after securing it, Wein looked ahead. A few seconds later, he turned back.
Followed by the two wolves walking behind him, Wein headed for the stairs, feeling he was already behind schedule due to his delay.
---
Loraine Eleanoir
"WHAT?!" Loraine read the message again that said, 'Sorry, sweetheart, you can't come home. Our house is hit by strong winds and a tornado for the next week. Can you delay your return for your own safety?' She kept checking to make sure it wasn't a mistake.
Her head slowly heated up as she tried multiple times to calm down, rubbing her face and attempting to think clearly—though failing repeatedly.
Soon it would turn into immense frustration and anger. Loraine thought of every friend who could help her, but they hadn't spoken for the past few days.
Many had already gone home since the usual departure schedule had passed. This time, she was truly frustrated. Loraine gently tugged her hair.
"AAAAHHH!" she screamed, though keeping her voice from spilling outside. Just seconds before despair peaked, ideas began to surface.
"Calm down! Calm down… What if I go to Wein's place again?" she murmured, trying to soothe herself. "Damn, I'm being a burden to him… but if I don't, I'll be alone in the Academy."
On the brink of despair, Loraine quickly packed clothes into a portable suitcase.
She swiftly prepared her belongings, her hands accurately picking out every useful piece of clothing.
Minutes later, she closed the suitcase and used a storage realm to temporarily store it. Without much thought, Loraine rushed out of her room, remembering to lock the door before sprinting toward the stairs.
Her leg muscles tightened, briefly enhanced with mana, using wind magic to boost her body's acceleration.
As she ran through the corridor, questions flooded her mind… What time is it? Has Wein already left? Or has he been gone for a while? But she didn't stop and kept running with all her strength.
---
Wein Arcveil
Who was calling me earlier? Wein wondered after being confused by the voice but decided not to care and kept walking.
Wein exited the dormitory lobby and headed for the Academy gate to wait for his carriage—perhaps tens of meters away from the outer gate.
Fresh air from the leafless trees and the peaceful sky, painted blue and yellow as the sun prepared to set in thirty minutes, welcomed him.
The western night sky gradually shifted to purple-orange, with clouds reflecting that gorgeous light, making the sky even more breathtaking.
Now, a few minutes into his silent walk—which signaled that only a few students remained—the sky darkened as orange faded into deep blue and purple hues.
The sky shifted drastically, as if preparing to drop something. Wein glanced up to be sure but saw nothing unusual.
The temperature dropped even more. As he reached the waiting area, a strong yet gentle wind brushed his skin, making him shiver.
Maybe snow will fall soon… I can't wait to play in the snow with Elaina. Wein thought softly from the depths of his heart. He truly loved his sister, even if he was no longer the real Wein.
Not long after, his carriage arrived, as usual—exquisitely luxurious yet not flashy.
Wein stepped slowly toward it, just moments away from placing his foot on the special platform built for him to board the carriage.
"Wein!" He opened the door to his carriage. "Wein!" The voice grew louder, but he didn't hear it yet. "Wein!" Finally, Wein heard it and reflexively turned around—the voice was very familiar.