When I reached the central square, the scene hit me like a punch in the gut.
Kai was there.
And… so was Lucian.
No. No!
They were opposites. Different worlds. And I was right in the middle—holding a tiny cake.
Kai turned his eyes to me. Stern. Focused.
Lucian's lips curved slightly. That infamous "I'm going to humiliate you" look in his eyes.
I just… stood there.
Please, bury me. Right now. Immediately.
Kai took a step. "Elysia? What are you doing here?"
Lucian spoke at the same time. "Did you have a special mission here, or—"
Suddenly, I found myself holding up the little cake bag. "Cake!"
Silence.
"…I brought it," I said. My voice was weak. Practically dead from embarrassment.
Both men took a step forward at once.
"For me?"
"For me?"
I looked—one had bowed his head in armor, the other flung his robe like a cape. They spoke at the same time. Looked at me at the same time. And were equally… serious.
Kill me. Now. Seriously.
I looked down at the poor, pathetic cake bag in my hand.
This is how I die. By cake. Fitting, honestly.
But no. I wouldn't die.
Switching from panic mode to strategy mode: Activated.
I straightened up and narrowed my eyes.
"Alright, what are you both doing here?" I said, raising my voice. "In the middle of the square. Both of you. At the same time."
They both stiffened slightly.
I pressed on. "Wait… did something happen? Something bad? Dangerous?" I widened my eyes, channeling Nina's dramatic flair. "Did someone attack? Something explode?!"
Kai shook his head, confused. "No, but—"
"Ah," I said. "So it still could." I raised my hands, gesturing around. "Look at the atmosphere—it's tense. The aura's tense. Maybe there's a trace of magic… or hostile energy?!"
Lucian looked like he was about to step in, but I gave him a look.
A look so sharp—words were unnecessary.
Lucian leaned slightly toward me. Mocking. Dangerous.
He opened his mouth—
And crashed into my glare.
"Lucian. Don't."
I sent a very clear threat with my eyes.
He raised a brow slightly… and stayed quiet.
Only because he found it amusing—but silence was still a win.
Kai looked at Lucian. Then back at me.
"You meeting with this mage so often… isn't that strange?" he asked.
My throat went dry.
I looked away. Back at the cake bag.
Save me, cake.
Just then, the sound of fast-approaching footsteps broke the tension.
"Hey! Don't gather here, you're distracting people!"
It was Nina. Her brown hair flying in the wind, holding a mana detector, running into the square like it was just another Tuesday.
"Oh, Elysia! You're here too. Oh no, did I come at a bad time?" She glanced between Kai and Lucian. "Hmm… no one's trying to strangle anyone, so… we're still good."
Kai placed a hand on his belt, still serious. "Nina. Are you a mage inspector?"
Nina raised her brows. "No, I'm… uh… more like a mage detector."
Kai's eyes were still on me. So intense, they practically shouted: What the hell are you involved in?
I was just about to come up with an explanation when someone unexpected stepped in.
Orren.
Yes, quiet, distant, mind-your-own-business Orren. He'd been standing off to the side, but now walked over. Glancing at his notebook, he raised his head.
"Uh… Lucian," he said in his usual flat tone. "I found something about that symbol in the ruins."
Lucian turned to him, focused. "What did you find?"
Orren adjusted his glasses. "Or rather… let's say Elysia found it."
I flinched.
He must be talking about the symbol of the purple planet I saw in my earlier vision.
Kai froze where he stood.
His eyes slowly turned to me. "What?"
Lucian immediately stepped in. "Well… she noticed the symbol, but I did the technical analysis. I mean… we were… together. On a mission. In an academic context."
Kai's eyes narrowed. "A mission…?"
Lucian's words echoed in the air.
Mission. Mage. Academic.
Kai's gaze slowly shifted to me. "Are you… a mage?"