"That brat..." the knight muttered beneath his helm.
The metal of his gauntlets gritted as he clenched his fists, the sound unpleasant. Letting go, he dropped his head as if all the strength in his neck had vanished. A faint fog slipped out from the vents of his helmet as he sighed.
The knight turned toward Nuriel and slowly removed his helm. His face was grim, defined features, weathered but solid, a man shaped by years of training. His eyes and hair were silver, yet carried an unusual glow of youth and power.
His gaze shifted to Nuriel's hands.
Nuriel followed his gaze, realizing he was still holding the gun even after being blasted away. He quietly set it down and raised his arms, not wanting to appear dangerous to the knight. He then remembered what he had said to him earlier. Gulping down, he pretended he hadn't just ridiculed the man a few minutes ago.
Seeing Nuriel's expression, the knight addressed the misunderstanding.
"Fret not. You were right... I was in the spur of the moment. My head wasn't thinking straight."
Nuriel let out a breath, relieved. He stood, brushing dirt off his pants.
The knight cleared his throat. "Anyways, forgive my outburst. It's unbecoming of my honor to get riled up by a child."
'Child' Nuriel thought, picturing the girl from earlier.
To think a child would be in the military, although Old Earth was no stranger to child soldiers, those were rare in times of peace. Nuriel pushed such thoughts to the back of his mind and introduced himself.
"My name is Nuriel Malachi. Thank you for your service." He placed his hand on his chest and gave a small bow.
The knight winced and rubbed the space between his brows, his expression crumpling.
"Please... don't say that to me. Look around you," his melancholic voice reached Nuriel's ears.
Nuriel glanced at the carnage, silence washing over them. 'I should've chosen my words carefully'
Trying to move on, Nuriel pivoted. "It's better than all of us dying. Thanks to your arrival, at least a few survived." He paused, then shifted gears. "How did you get here so fast? Even if the flare was seen from Owhen City, there's no way you made it in time without being nearby."
The knight stared at him quietly, before giving in.
"We received reports of fallen creature sightings a few weeks ago. We've been patrolling this track ever since. But when your train incident happened… my guess is it lured them to you."
"All of this was just a stroke of bad—"
The knight stopped, his expression shifting as he quietly lampooned himself. "No, that wasn't right."
There were never natural disasters. Only the abilities of living creatures to prevent and mitigate situations determined if it was a disaster or not. The dead bodies littering the area were proof of that this wasn't just some random catastrophe.
Brightening himself forcibly, the knight continued. "I haven't told you my name yet. Yaromech. I'm a knight instructor at Owhen University."
'Owhen?'
The name rang a bell. "I'm an incoming librarian at Owhen University. Please treat me well."
Yaromech exhaled, the slight smile breaking through. "Likewise. A lot of knight aspirants are enrolling this year. You should expect the library to be busy."
"Can I join in on the conversation?"
They both turned. Edward had walked over, his face a bit brighter, though his clothes still bore the dirt of battle.
They stared awkwardly at each other.
. . .
Their casual talk stood in sharp contrast against the field of corpses. Only the unnamed medic still matched the grim tone of the place.
***
"Is there anything more?"
The officer's cold stare pierced through Nuriel.
They were in a small office at a police station. The windows cast bright orange rays, painting the wooden floor in the early morning hue. The officer sat behind an intricate wooden desk, holding a small notebook and pen, jotting down every detail.
Nuriel sat in front, in a wooden chair. It felt like a job interview. Still, he presented himself neatly, explaining his story without pause.
He shook his head when the questions ended. The officer stopped writing, placing the pen down and crossing his arms. A long silence followed. Nuriel fought the urge to fall asleep in his chair.
"You've a job at the university, right? There's actually a faculty dorm, free of charge—"
The officer paused. Before the interview, it was required for Nuriel to describe his profile in detail. He was an aristocrat.
The officer grimaced. Discussing making your money worth with a noble was pointless. As a premiere university, most professors at Owhen were educated aristocrats. They usually preferred luxurious apartments, or even full houses, instead of the standard faculty dormitory.
He quickly corrected himself.
"Forgive me. If you'd prefer, we can escort you to an apartment near the school—"
"No need. I'll stay at the faculty dorm."
"Right… please wait. We'll prepare a car—"
He paused, confused by Nuriel's faint smile.
It's free. Everything is a luxury if it's free. Not just the dorm—the ride, too! Nuriel held back the excitement building inside him.
"... Please wait in front of the building. I'll have someone drive you."
Leaving the office, Nuriel's exhaustion became more visible. He passed by a nearby window, peeking at his reflection. The bags under his eyes had grown darker.
Down the hall, he spotted Edward and called out.
"Edward."
Edward turned, his face lively, but his eyebags were even worse.
"Is your sister fine?" Nuriel asked.
A grin tugged at Edward's lips. "Trying to court my sister? I'm with you—you looked like a hero when you grabbed that rifle and... Bang bang!"
Edward mimicked Nuriel's previous stunt from before, raising his arms and pretending to shoot invisible fallen creatures. "Pew pew, bang, pow!"
Nuriel cringed, his face twitching. 'Everyone's watching us... please... stop...'
Edward chuckled, then answered seriously. "She's fine. I received a telegraph. She's recovering at the city hospital. Looks like I'll be teaching at Owhen without her help for a while."
"That's good to hear," Nuriel replied.
Edward's sincerity shone. The melancholy from earlier had vanished.
"I have to go check up on her. See you at the university."
Edward bowed and left, disappearing into the hallway among the employees walking in the morning rush.
Nuriel stepped out of the building, a car called out to him with a honk and a wave from the driver, he stepped in, exchanged a few pleasantries, and headed toward Owhen University.
***
Nuriel was dropped off in front of the university gates.
On the way, he had watched the streets of Owhen blur past the window. It was far busier than the city he had stayed in before. More cars lined the roads than carriages, more people bustled along the sidewalks, and the atmosphere felt far more organized, befitting its title as the second capital of the Bose Kingdom, right next to La Quezon.
However, as they approached the university, the population density gradually decreased. The clustered buildings gave way to fields of green and scattered structures. It felt like they were leaving the city and stepping into something else entirely.
He entered.
Nuriel was already familiar with Owhen University. He had come here once before, back when he applied for the job. The place was practically a city on its own. Its expansive buildings and wide range of courses gave rise to a population that could rival a small city.
He walked along the smooth sidewalk, his footsteps echoing softly. The brick layout beneath his shoes was intricat. Even now, it caught his eye.
But there weren't many students around.
The opening day was still four days away. That gave him time to settle in and clean himself up.
Which was good, because he looked like a walking crime scene.
Nuriel glanced down at himself. His suit was streaked with dried blood, his briefcase no longer fresh after being dragged through a battlefield. He looked less like a librarian and more like someone who'd escaped from prison.
He sniffed the inside of his sleeve.
He reeked.
Especially the black spots where the bits of the fallen creature had made contact. A foul stench clung to the fabric, soaked deep into the threads.
After a long walk, though one that couldn't be compared to the nightmare trek from the train wreck, he finally arrived at the faculty dormitory after getting directions from some school caretakers.
The faculty dorms were tucked away in a more secluded part of campus. The building itself was… fair. Still, the word free made it look like a five-star hotel in his eyes.
He stepped inside.
The moment he entered, a dozen pairs of eyes turned toward him as he looked like a burglar.
Nuriel made his way to the help desk, where a woman sat behind the counter. Her hands froze above the desk. Her posture stiffened like she was preparing to scream for the guards.
"Nuriel Malachi," he said, calmly. "I'm a new librarian. I'd like a room, please."
The woman exhaled in relief, which weirdly affected Nuriel more than he expected. Her reaction stung a little.
"Please wait."
She gestured to a small stone in front of her. A glowing screen appeared in midair, shimmering softly. Her fingers began tapping the magic-tech interface with practiced rhythm.
'Owhen's got some advanced systems, huh. At least when it comes to magic tech,' Nuriel thought as he waited patiently.
After confirming his name in the school's database, the woman turned to a thick book beside her and began flipping through its pages.
Nuriel pleaded inside—let there be a vacant one!
She sighed.
Nuriel's stomach dropped.
"There are no single rooms available, but..." she paused, "there is one two-bedroom room open. You'll have to live with a roommate. Is that alright with you?"
Nuriel didn't hesitate. The free accommodation was his! "I'm alright with that."
"Then please sign the contract here. Accommodation is free, in case you weren't aware."
Free. What a beautiful word. Nuriel practically heard a symphony playing in his mind as he signed the contract, barely stopping himself from humming.
"Here's your key. It's on the second floor. Room 121."
She extended the key toward him. Nuriel received it with both hands, as if accepting a royal heirloom. The woman leaned back slightly, her upper body recoiling as she handed it over.
To be fair, he probably looked like a beggar.
He turned to head toward the stairs.
But was then stopped.
"Ah, one more thing," the woman said, flipping back through the logbook. "I don't know if this bothers you, but I forgot to mention… it's a mixed room. The other tenant arrived yesterday. A female."
Nuriel froze.
Time stopped all over again.
'A… woman?'