The sun was already sinking beyond the neighboring rooftops, its orange glow filtering through the living room windows and stretching across the floor in long, uneven bands. Outside, the city was winding down—shops pulling shutters halfway, distant horns echoing faintly—but inside, the noise was alive and well.
"Stop touching my stuff."
"I'm not touching your stuff."
"You literally just touched it."
Noah and Luna stood on opposite sides of the living room, facing each other like opposing generals. Noah had his sleeves rolled up, hair slightly messy, and one sock missing. Luna stood with her arms crossed, wings folded tight against her back, her expression sharp and unimpressed.
Between them, on the coffee table, lay a scattered pile of papers, books, and a half-empty snack box.
"You moved my notes," Luna said flatly.
"I moved them two centimeters," Noah shot back. "They were in the way."
"They were not in the way."
"They were emotionally in the way."
Luna stared at him.
"…That doesn't even mean anything."
"It means I didn't like them there," Noah replied with a grin.
From the kitchen, a faint clink of ceramic echoed as Celeste set a cup down, followed by a long, practiced sigh.
"I swear," she muttered, mostly to herself,
Luna turned her head slightly toward the kitchen. "Mother, he started it."
Noah scoffed. "She started it. I just escalated."
Celeste didn't bother turning around. "Then de-escalate," she said calmly. "Both of you."
They both paused.
Then, almost in unison, they turned back to glare at each other.
"…Fine," Luna said after a beat. "Quiz."
Noah blinked. "What?"
"A quiz. Our exam is next week, so a Pop quiz," she repeated, a familiar glint entering her eyes. "If you're so confident in everything, let's test it."
"Oh, come on—"
"How many regions is the entirety of Theon divided into?" she asked immediately, not giving him time to protest.
Noah straightened instinctively, posture snapping into something more formal.
"Three major regions," he said. "Brightburn Province Which covers the northeastern states. Frostbane Province, which covers the western states bordering Hera, and the Theron Province, which covers the central Theon and southern states. It governs our Kingdom's capital city, which is Theron City."
Luna nodded once, but didn't stop him.
"Each region is governed by the main families that support the royal family," Noah continued. "They handle administration, military coordination, and internal trade."
He lifted a finger.
"But there's an exception."
Luna's eyes narrowed slightly, pleased.
"The northeastern mountain range," Noah said. "Ishtara. Technically part of Brightburn, but not really. It's controlled directly by the Church."
She gave a satisfied hum. "Good."
Noah smirked. "See? I do pay attention."
"We'll see," Luna said. "Next question."
She took a step closer, wings shifting slightly behind her.
"What are the primary industrial sectors that maintain balance between the four kingdoms?"
Noah leaned back against the couch, thinking for half a second.
"Theon controls agriculture, exploration, logistics, and raw material extraction," he said. "They grow the food, mine the resources, and move everything."
Luna tilted her head. "And Hera?"
"Hera handles production," Noah replied. "Mass manufacturing. Artifact creation. Processing raw materials into usable goods. Most high-grade items are forged or assembled there."
"And Kirola?"
"Entertainment, distribution, and labor," he said. "Their economy lags behind the others, so they export culture, manpower, and service-based industries."
"Lastly," Luna said softly, "Nuan."
Noah's tone shifted.
"Technology," he said. "Research. Advancement. Medical development. Experimental sectors no one else wants to touch."
Silence settled for a moment.
From the kitchen, Celeste peeked in, eyebrow raised. "Well?"
Luna uncrossed her arms. "He passed."
Noah grinned triumphantly. "Told you."
The moment was broken by the soft chime of a communicator.
Noah froze mid-smirk.
"…That's Solace's tone," Luna said quietly.
Noah grabbed the device off the table and answered immediately.
"Solace?"
The connection crackled, then stabilized.
"Hey," Solace's voice came through, tired but unmistakably bright. "Just calling to let you know… I qualified for the finale."
For a split second, there was silence.
"WHAT?!" Noah shouted.
Luna gasped, wings flaring slightly. "You did?!"
Noah nearly dropped the communicator. "You're serious?"
"Dead serious," Solace replied. "Barely, but yes."
Noah whooped, pumping a fist into the air. "I knew it! I knew you'd make it!"
Luna smiled, a rare, genuine curve of her lips. "That's incredible."
Solace chuckled softly. "It was messy."
"When isn't it?" Noah said proudly.
Then Luna leaned closer to the device. "What about the others?"
"They made it, too," Solace said. "All of them."
Noah let out a low whistle. "That's insane."
"Wait," Solace said after a beat. "You two… did you meet them?"
There was a brief pause.
"…Yeah," Luna said gently. "We did."
"When you were in a coma," Noah added. "They came by a lot."
Solace didn't respond immediately.
"…I see," he said quietly.
Another pause.
"How are Mom and Dad?" he asked.
"They're good," Luna replied. "Worried, obviously. But good."
"Noah's been driving Father insane," she added dryly.
Noah scoffed. "He loves it."
"You should visit more often," Luna said softly. "When you can."
"I will," Solace replied. "I promise."
The call ended shortly after, leaving the living room bathed in warm evening light.