“Ah…” Elana froze when she saw Adrian after ten days. Her breath caught, and her body wouldn’t move.

They stood in the corridor leading to the common hall.

She had just finished lunch and was heading back when she suddenly came face-to-face with the person who had been on her mind nonstop.

Ever since the last incident, she hadn’t spoken to him—not even once.

When she heard about the explosions and the ambush, she was terrified. But even that fear wasn’t strong enough to push her to talk to him. She simply couldn’t.

In class, she kept her head down, avoided eye contact, and never raised her hand. If he asked her something, she’d just shake her head, saying she didn’t know.

She was ashamed—ashamed of the things she had said the last time they met. That guilt kept her away.

Adrian let out a soft sigh. He could read her clearly now—her nervousness, her self-doubt, the storm of emotions she was hiding.

He took a few steps forward and gently said,

“You look pale. Have you been taking care of yourself?”

Elana blinked and gave a small nod. “Y-Yes… everything’s fine.”

Adrian wasn’t sure what words might ease her worry, so instead of searching for the perfect thing to say, he simply spoke from the heart.

“You need to focus on yourself, Elana. You have so much potential ahead of you. Don’t let your emotions become a cage. Let them be your wings… and fly free.”

Elana kept looking at him, trying to find if he really meant that or if he was masking disgust for her.

But all she saw in those eyes was concern and warmth. Her heart fluttered at the sight as she lowered her head and said, “I apologize for what I said the last time. I hope you won’t abandon me, teacher.”

Adrian chuckled as he gave her a shoulder spat, “A teacher never abandons their students, so don’t worry and go rest. You have a training session in the evening, right?”

Elena nodded before a soft smile bloomed on her lips and she walked past him.

Adrian exhaled a sigh, thankful that this situation was resolved without him confronting her about her feelings.

Meanwhile, a smiling Elana rushed towards her room—wanting to be alone for some time and rejoice in the fact that she patched up with her beloved.

‘There is still hope…I just need to be patient.’

°°°°°°

Allen sat quietly, sharing the table with his friend and his lover on the other side.

They were supposed to be having lunch—but none of them could really eat.

Sylvie’s state made it impossible. Neither Allen nor Olivia had the appetite to touch their food.

Olivia kept glancing between Allen and Sylvie, clearly restless, searching for something—anything—to say that might lift the heavy mood. But nothing came.

Allen felt helpless too. He had tried to comfort her, but no words seemed to reach her. Though she wasn’t crying now, the sadness in her eyes spoke louder than any tears.

Sylvie sat there, silent, disconnected from everything around her. Her fork aimlessly rolled a single bean across her plate. She was physically present, but her mind… was somewhere far away.

It was a strange, suffocating kind of pain—to have someone you just spoke to days ago now lying cold in a coffin. No more smiles. No more words. All that warmth, just… gone.

Even her tears—tears that used to bother him so much—no longer had the power to stir the person she cried for. Sylvie had wept for hours, but it made no difference now.

That was the part that hurt the most.

Allen was just about to say something to comfort her when a familiar voice interrupted.

“Can I have a minute with you, Sylvie?”

All three turned.

Olivia’s eyes widened for a second at the sight of him, but she quickly looked back down at her plate.

Allen’s heart lifted at his arrival. He knew Sylvie needed someone like him right now.

Sylvie, on the other hand, froze. Seeing Adrian here… she wasn’t ready.

Part of her wanted to nod, to follow him right away. But another part—buried under guilt and grief—was afraid. She didn’t want to trouble him. She didn’t want to seem weak in front of him.

She was still deciding when his calm yet firm voice cut through her hesitation.

“Sylvie, come with me.”

She blinked, caught off guard. There was no room for argument in his tone.

In the end, she simply nodded and rose from her seat.

Allen and Olivia didn’t speak. They only watched as Professor Adrian gently led Sylvie out of the hall.

They walked in silence, heading toward the academy’s west garden. At this hour, the place was quiet—most students were either training or resting for the evening drills. Sylvie, of course, wasn’t participating today. She had officially taken a week off, needing time to gather herself.

She hated the way people looked at her now. As if she were fragile as if she’d break with a word.

When they finally reached a shaded bench under the old oak, Adrian paused.

“I can see how broken you are,” he said softly, not looking at her.

Sylvie lowered her eyes. “He adored me, Professor… always protected me. And when he needed me the most—I wasn’t there.”

Her voice cracked slightly, and she quickly bit down on her lip.

Adrian finally turned to face her, his voice low, steady. “I was there, Sylvie. I saw it happen. And even if you were there… I’m not sure you could’ve changed the outcome.”

She didn’t respond. Just stared at her trembling hands.

He continued, more gently, “It was chaos. Everyone was scrambling to survive. No one could focus on others. But your brother… he chose to protect the ones he loved. He made that choice without hesitation.”

Sylvie’s eyes welled up, her fingers tightening around the edge of her skirt.

“You should be proud,” Adrian whispered. “Because he died with purpose. And that love… it doesn’t die with him.”

A quiet moment passed before Sylvie finally asked, her voice barely above a whisper,

“Professor… have you ever lost someone close to you? Someone you still remember?”

Adrian didn’t answer right away. He gazed into the distance, eyes soft but clouded by memory.

“Hmm…” he hummed gently and then smiled faintly—almost wistfully.

“Yeah. There was someone… I loved her more than I loved myself.”

He paused, his tone quieter now.

“I still think about her. Every time I pour maple syrup on pancakes. Or when I tie my shoelaces.”

His lips curled slightly. “She used to tease me for always tying them messily.”

Sylvie blinked, a little stunned. She had always believed the only girl truly close to him was Ariana. But the way he spoke now… this person seemed to live deeper in his heart than she had imagined.

“She was very close to me,” Adrian added softly. “And even now… she hasn’t really left. She’s still here, in the small things. The kind of memories that slip in quietly, without warning.”

Sylvie looked down at the ground, feeling the weight of his words. It was strangely comforting—knowing he, too, carried someone in his heart like that.

As they spoke, the two gradually made their way back to the academic building. The soft crunch of gravel under their feet filled the quiet moments between them.

Just before stepping inside, Adrian turned to face her.

Looking into her eyes, he said gently,

“Don’t hide your emotions… and don’t try to fight your memories. Doing that will only make the pain heavier. Instead, try to turn that sorrow into strength. Aim for a place where your brother would look at you and feel proud.”

Sylvie’s chest eased. The weight that had been pressing down on her seemed just a little lighter now.

She looked up and asked, her voice shy but steady,

“Can… I come to talk to you sometimes? When it gets too much?”

Adrian smiled. It was warm and comforting.

“Of course,” he said, gently patting her head. “As I told Elana before—I never abandon my students.”

°°°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep