The farther they walked,the deeper the street pulled them in, submerged in a rising tide of sound—overlapping voices, sudden bursts of laughter, and footsteps crossing without rhythm or reason.
"…Told you," Jude said, glancing back. "…It gets better further in."
Lunivara didn't answer, her gaze had already shifted.
"…Wait." Lunivara said.
Jude stopped.
"…What?" Jude answered.
She stepped closer to a smaller stall, half-hidden between two looming structures,where glass cases lined with dark velvet caught her eye.
"…Is that—" She leaned in slightly. "…That's a grandidierite."
Jude blinked.
"…A what?"
"…Grandidierite." She replied faster.
Leontius looked at her surprise.
"…It's rare....very rare. You don't usually see one,... this close…"
Her words trailed off just a second too late. Silence stretched between them. Jude stared for a moment, then let out a sharp laugh.
"…You forgot we were here." Jude said.
"…I did not." A pause. "...Maybe a little." Lunivara replied.
He grinned. "…That's new."
Lunivara straightened, composure returning—but not completely.
"…I'm buying it." Lunivara said.
Leontius, quiet until now, spoke. "...You're certain?"
"…Yes."
He looked at the stone—then at her.Leontius stepped closer to the stall,purchased the gold, and handed it into lunivara's hand before she could even process her surprise.
"Here"
"A..ah..Thank you..."—["I thought he would steal it from me..phew~"]
Jude glanced at him.
"…That was quick." Jude said.
No response came.But as Jude looked at him,he noticed something different about him—a slight shift he hadn't seen before.
Jude froze."...Wait."
He leaned closer. "…You smiled."
"No."
"You did."
"You're mistaken."
"I'm not."
A pause—
Lunivara turned away quickly—looking some more rare stone.
"…Running away?" Jude muttered, amused.
Moments later—she returned another stone secured. Her expression was calm again, but her eyes were still a little brighter.
"…Done?" Jude asked.
"…Yes."
"…Good."
He turned without hesitation.
"…Now we eat."
"…Eat?"
"…You can't come out here and not eat."
He was already moving.
Lunivara followed.
After a moment—Leontius did too.
Another shift in the streets. Away from the quite displays—straight into a haze of heat and smoke.
"Grill!"
Lunivaras. Eyes widened entirely captivated by the sight slicing through the chaos["...I didn't know, it also exist here in the noble streets"]
"Hot skewers!"
Jude stopped instantly.
"…This one."
"…You didn't even look," Lunivara said.
"…I don't need to."
"It sounds unreliable."
"…It's experience." Jude replied.
The food was handed over—warm and fresh.
"…Careful," Jude added. "…It's hot."
Lunivara took a bite—
paused—
then blinked.
"Ah."
Jude grinned immediately.
"…That 'ah' means you like it."
"…It exceeded expectations." She replied.
"…Same thing."
Leontius tried one.
Paused.
Then—
"No."
Jude turned.
"…You just said no to food?"
"…The shrimp."
"…What about it?"
"…I don't like it."
Silence—
then—
Jude laughed.
"…You're serious?"
"…Yes."
"You're always picky."
"I have standards."
"…That's worse,"
Lunivara spoke lightly—almost without thinking.
"…It is a preference."
Jude looked at her.
"…You're defending him?"
"…I am correcting you."
"…You two sound the same sometimes."
"…We do not."
"…You just did it again."
A small pause—
Lunivara looked away slightly.
"…That is coincidence."
Jude laughed again.
"Sure."
They kept walking, eating, talking—more easily now. Not quiet close, but no longer distant.Alive.The noise of the street softened—not because it lessened—but because it no longer pressed against them.
"…It's getting late," Jude said after a while.
Lunivara glanced at the sky.
"…It is." Lunivara said.
"…We should head back." Leontius added.
No one disagreed.
The walked back felt different—quiter but not empty. They slowed as they reached the academy gates, stepping back inside the hallway. Everything felt familiar, yet changed.
"…That was good," Jude said.
"…It was," Lunivara replied.
Leontius gave a small nod. "…Yes."
A brief pause.
"…Tomorrow?" Jude asked.
"…Tomorrow."
"…Tomorrow."
They separate different paths.But the distance between them—felt less than before.
End of Chapter 16