"Hey, Cutie? Did you hear?"
Soren's hand paused mid-motion as he closed the lecture hall door; he turned his head slightly.
"About what?"
"Ivan's punishment was decided."
"Oh… right."
The casual tone of the conversation clashed sharply with the weight of the name.
'Ivan…'
Soren had already heard the outcome through whispers that spread faster than wildfire through the academy.
Amelia's intervention had ensured it was swift and final.
Ivan would be executed, no trial, no appeals, no drawn-out proceedings.
The justification was simple.
There was no defence Ivan could give that would matter.
No version of events where he came out innocent.
A trial would only exist for show, and Einhardt did not care for pretending when guilt was absolute.
Soon, Ivan's name would be scrubbed from records, his existence reduced to a footnote that no one would speak aloud.
Ordinarily, Soren should have felt relief.
Ivan had nearly killed him.
If things had gone even slightly worse, Soren wouldn't be standing here now, listening to idle chatter in the hallway.
Any normal person would have welcomed the news without hesitation.
But instead…
'I feel sick.'
The sensation sat heavy in his stomach, dull and persistent.
He had told Louise it was all Ivan's fault.
He had believed it when he said it.
Yet somewhere beneath that certainty, something rotten twisted uncomfortably.
Ivan hadn't targeted him at random.
He had picked a fight because of Soren's connections, because of who stood behind him.
Amelia.
Esper.
The invisible weight of influence Soren carried without meaning to.
In the original story, Ivan was insignificant.
A minor character who never crossed paths with anyone important enough to matter.
None of this would have happened.
That was the part that hurt the most.
Guilt gnawed at him relentlessly, chewing through his thoughts until he couldn't tell where responsibility ended and regret began.
'I swore I'd fix things…'
He had promised himself he would mend the cracks where the story had started to fracture.
He had sworn he wouldn't let the world derail so badly.
And yet, here was another life erased because of his presence.
'Is it impossible?'
The more time passed, the more fragile his goal seemed.
The original story felt farther away now, less like something he could return to, and more like a memory that no longer belonged to him.
Still…
'Let's just keep trying for now…'
Giving up wasn't an option.
"You holding up?"
Esper's voice cut through his thoughts.
He looked up to find her studying his face with narrowed eyes, concern slipping through her usual carefree expression.
"Kind of?"
It wasn't a lie.
Not entirely.
Every so often, flashes of that day resurfaced without warning.
The pressure on his chest.
The sensation of helplessness.
The cold fear that had settled deep in his bones when he realised how close he had come to dying.
Cold sweats.
Shaking hands.
The lingering echo of panic.
But none of it lasted long enough to stop him functioning.
So he ignored it.
'Honestly, this so-called perfect memory skill has been nothing but a curse lately.'
At first, he had been thrilled by it.
Perfect recall felt like a cheat ability, something undeniably powerful.
Now?
He wished, desperately, that he could forget.
Esper reached out and ruffled his hair gently, the touch light and familiar.
"Come to me if you wanna talk, 'kay?"
"Thanks, Essy."
The warmth in her words seeped into him despite himself.
They hadn't known each other long.
By all accounts, they shouldn't have been this close yet.
And yet, Esper never hesitated.
She never wavered when it came to him.
'I heard she was the first one to start moving, too.'
Louise had told him that, back when everything went down, while others froze, Esper had been the first to act.
That alone raised his opinion of her immensely.
He wanted to repay her, to do something, anything, that felt adequate, but every time he tried, she shut him down without mercy.
"Hey, Essy—"
"If you're going to give me the whole repayment spiel again, then shut up."
He let out a small chuckle.
"I mean it, though. If you ever need anything, just ask."
"Then quit acting weird, idiot."
"Says the one acting differently."
Esper abruptly shot to her feet, palms slamming down against the table with a sharp crack.
"Fine! Let's just forget about it, okay? It's over! So, let's go have some fun!"
"...That was fast."
He had barely finished calling her out before she snapped right back to her usual self.
"Shut up and come with me, Cutie!"
She grabbed his arm and hooked it tightly with hers, leaving him little room to resist.
"Do you even have a plan?"
"Nope!" she replied, grinning shamelessly.
"...Figures."
Exhaustion tugged at him the moment he took a step forward.
"Shouldn't we at least bring the others?"
He didn't want to leave anyone out, not after everything they had done for him.
Esper slowed slightly.
"...Do we have to bring Felix?" she muttered, lips twisting downward.
Soren reached out and pressed a finger directly into her scowling face.
"Why are you suddenly pretending to hate him so much? We literally had lunch together earlier."
She stuck her tongue out at him.
"Just kidding. Let's grab 'em all!"
And so began the drag-around-the-academy adventure.
Amelia was first.
"Wanna come out with us?"
"Sure."
"...Wow! She's so easy!" Esper shouted, visibly shocked.
Next was Felix.
"...Do we really have to ask him?" Esper complained.
"I'll come."
"Hey, I didn't even—"
"Let's get some drinks."
"I didn't… sigh, whatever."
Then Lilliana.
"Uh, Ren?"
"What's wrong, Lilly?"
"Didn't you get in trouble for being too close to us just recently?"
"So?"
"...Never mind."
She sighed softly.
"Is everyone really okay with it?"
"Probably?"
"...Then I'll finish my work and meet you at the gate in half an hour."
"Alright, see you later, Lilly."
"Bye, Ren."
Two muffled voices chorused from behind the door.
""Woww…""
Soren ignored them completely.
Then Olivia and Alex.
"Really? You're inviting us?"
"Are you sure?"
Ever since his duel with Alex, Soren had been avoiding Olivia without meaning to.
Seeing her surprised expression made guilt prick at his chest.
"Yeah. Could be fun, right?"
"T-Then I'm in. Alex?"
"...I was going to train, but fine."
Finally, Louise.
"Little Brother, I'm so sorry…"
She pulled him into a tight hug without warning, drawing more than a few stares.
He asked her anyway, but she already had plans.
"Should I just drop them…?"
"Of course not. We'll hang out another time."
And so, after regrouping with Lilliana, they became a party of seven.
"...So what exactly are we doing?" Felix asked once they gathered at the gate.
Everyone's eyes turned to Soren.
"Why is everyone looking at me? Essy's the one who wanted to go out?"
"Then why did you invite us?" Lilliana pressed.
"Well, I didn't want to leave everyone out? Plus, you all helped me. So I thought I'd treat you. Ugh, this is embarrassing. Essy, where are we going?"
Soren hurriedly changed the topic as his cheeks slightly flushed pink, as he felt embarrassed saying his thoughts aloud.
"Heh, you're such a cutie~! Drinks and dinner sound good? I'm dying to get wasted!"
The group had various reactions to Esper's words, ranging from Amelia and Felix's positive responses.
"Sure."
"Woo! Alcohol!"
To Olivia, Alex and Lilliana's hesitant reactions.
"Uhm… If that's what everyone wants."
"...I don't mind."
"As long as I don't have to drink too much…"
To finally, Soren's negative reaction.
"Do we really have to?"
••✦ ♡ ✦•••
In the end, Soren's protest was ignored.
Not that he had expected anything else.
By the time he realised Esper had no intention of compromising, he was already being dragged along with the rest of the group, swept up by momentum he didn't quite have the energy to fight.
They ended up in an expensive bar tucked away near the academy's outer district, one of those places that catered specifically to nobles, upper-ranked adventurers, and students who had far too much disposable income.
Amelia and Felix led the charge with alarming enthusiasm.
"This place looks great!" Felix said, eyes already scanning the menu posted near the entrance.
"I've been here once," Amelia added calmly. "The drinks are decent."
"That's not reassuring at all," Soren muttered.
Esper darted ahead of everyone, barely slowing as she flashed a grin at the attendant and reserved a private room with practised ease.
"We're here!" she shouted as she swung the door open dramatically.
The room was spacious, softly lit, and far more luxurious than Soren had been expecting.
Plush seating lined the walls, a low table sat at the centre, and shelves of expensive bottles gleamed behind a glass cabinet.
"Finally!"
"I was starting to think we'd never sit down."
"Should we order food first?"
"But I want to drink."
"Isn't it still early?"
Voices overlapped as everyone spoke at once, the energy in the room noticeably lighter than it had been earlier that day.
Lilliana, the oldest among them, cleared her throat gently.
"So… what about the seating arrangement?"
The chatter died down almost immediately.
Soren blinked.
"Uh…"
Before he could even think about it, Amelia spoke up.
"I'm next to him."
She pointed directly at Soren, expression completely neutral, as if this were the most obvious decision in the world.
"Th-Then…" Olivia hesitated, fingers fidgeting. "I-I'll sit with Alex."
"I'll sit next to Liv," Alex said shortly, already moving to sit.
"That leaves Essy and Lilly," Soren said, counting off with his fingers.
"Hey, don't forget about me," Felix added quickly when no one responded.
"My bad," Soren replied flatly without missing a beat. "Essy, Lilly, and… Mr Trash over there."
Felix clicked his tongue.
Lilliana raised her hand timidly, cheeks already tinted pink.
"Um… could I maybe sit next to Ren? I don't really know anyone else very well…"
Soren felt his expression soften instantly.
'She's so cute.'
"She's so cute!" Esper shouted, echoing his thought word for word.
Before anyone could stop her, Esper rushed forward and grabbed Lilliana's hands, eyes sparkling.
"Professor Roseblood, right? You're so adorable, oh my gosh!"
"Ah—Miss Rupindolf?"
Lilliana stammered, flustered as the blush on her cheeks deepened.
"I-I appreciate it…"
"Just call me Esper! Or Essy! Whatever you like!"
She leaned in closer.
"Can we be friends?"
Lilliana looked like she might short-circuit.
Soren quickly stepped in before things escalated further.
"Well, I'm fine with it, Lilly," he said gently. "So… all decided?"
That seemed to break the spell.
Everyone finally took their seats, shuffling chairs and settling in.
And then—
Another problem arose.
"Cutie…?" Esper's voice quivered as she slowly turned her head.
Soren followed her gaze.
She was seated directly next to Felix.
"Why am I next to him?"
Felix scoffed.
"What's wrong with sitting next to me?"
"Everything."
Soren leaned back slightly, smiling innocently.
"Let's enjoy ourselves tonight, shall we, Esper?" Felix grinned.
"...Cutie?"
He didn't answer.
He just smiled.
Esper stared at him for a long second, then huffed and crossed her arms, clearly sulking, but there was no real bite behind it.
She was playing it up.
He knew that much.
"Anyways," Soren said, clapping his hands softly, "should we order?"
Menus were passed around, and the group began debating what to get.
Amelia and Felix immediately gravitated toward stronger drinks, while Olivia and Lilliana hovered uncertainly over lighter options.
"As long as I don't have to drink too much…" Lilliana murmured, carefully scanning the list.
As the orders were finalised, Soren leaned back against the seat, letting the noise wash over him.
Laughter.
Complaints.
Felix arguing about drink prices.
Esper loudly insisting they get "the good stuff."
For the first time in days, the tension in his shoulders loosened.
His gaze drifted briefly to the empty seat that should have belonged to Louise.
A faint pang of regret stirred in his chest.
'She'd probably be scolding me right now.'
The thought made him smile despite himself.
He pushed the feeling aside.
Just for tonight.
For once, he wanted to enjoy himself.
————「❤︎」————