The dorm emptied, echoing with the faint sound of farewells. Rin made her way home to LAPEN. Angelica also went to her house. But three figures remained in the academy. Ahsinav remained in the academy, sending a letter with Havard, and Ankeet and Noah also decided to stay, each one with their reason.
As three days slipped by, Noah recovered completely. On the day of his discharge, Ankeet entered Noah's room.
"What are you planning to do? Will you return home?" Ankeet asked.
Noah met Ankeet's gaze. "I think I will stay," he replied calmly. "And what about you? Will you stay as well?"
"Yeah, I've been thinking of gaining some real-life experience while I have the chance, so I'm heading to Fangthorn Forest," Ankeet responded as he glanced at Noah.
Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Ahsinav. "Noah, are you feeling well?" he called out. Over the past three days, Ahsinav frequently visited Noah.
Noah offered him a reassuring smile. "Yeah, I'm all good now," he replied, his tone laced with gratitude for Ahsinav's constant presence. As Ahsinav stepped further into the room, his gaze landed on Ankeet, "Oh, how rare for you to be here, huh?" He said in a surprised voice. "What are you two talking about?" he asked.
As Noah's gaze met Ahsinav's, he began to speak. "Ankeet was just mentioning about going to Fangthorn Forest."
"Fangthorn Forest?" Ahsinav replied, he asked. "Mind if I join? I am getting bored here."
"Yeah, you can. I needed a teammate anyway," Ankeet replied with a nod,
Listening to their conversation, Noah looked at Ankeet, "Can I join as well?" he asked Ankeet. Ankeet's gazed back at him, "Yeah," he replied. "Let's meet tomorrow then," Ankeet said.
As Ankeet was about to leave the room, Noah asked, "How about we meet in the evening and grab some food outside the academy? It'll be my treat."
"That sounds good to me," Ahsinav replied.
Noah turned to Ankeet, awaiting his response. "What about you, Ankeet?" he asked.
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Ankeet hesitated before replying, "I'll think about it," his tone neutral as he exited the room.
Ankeet went straight to the training room, and Ahsinav remained by Noah's side until his discharge from the infirmary. After some time, an elderly woman entered Noah's room. As she entered the room, she remembered a familiar face.
"Aether?" she murmured, her voice tinged with disbelief. Ahsinav looked at her, "Me? Aether?" he said, shaking his head in confusion. "Oh, never mind," she dismissed with a wave of her hand.
Turning her attention to Noah, she asked, "How are you feeling?" "Good, Grandma Lorelei," Noah replied warmly with a smile. Lorelei continued speaking, "You should not accept an offer from the demon, okay?" she warned Noah. "Some demons are kind, but not all are the same." Noah agreed with her words
"Now take care of yourself, okay," Lorelei said to Noah with a gentle smile as he departed from the Magical Infirmary. As Noah and Ahsinav exited the Magical Infirmary, Lorelei watched them from the window, her gaze lingering upon Ahsinav. "No doubt he is their son," she murmured, a smile touching her lips. "Those eyes, that hair, all of it resembles them."
With Noah's room still undergoing thorough repair, Ahsinav took him to his room. Time slipped away swiftly, at night Ahsinav and Noah made their way to the Academy gate. They found Ankeet patiently waiting for their arrival. They gathered together and set off toward the restaurant.
The streets were alive with light and activity, bustling with people engaged in conversation, laughter, and the occasional exchange of goods. The maids greeted them warmly as they entered the restaurant and showed them their seats with gracious hospitality. After taking orders, soon enough, their orders arrived. The aroma of freshly prepared dishes filled the air as the maids brought their meals.
As they conversed and enjoyed their meal, Noah broke the silence with a question. "Are we three the only ones going there?" he asked.
Ankeet nodded in response. "Yeah, just us," he confirmed.
Ahsinav, sensing an opportunity, asked a question to Ankeet. "Why are you always silent?" he asked, his tone gentle yet probing.
Ankeet's response was unexpected. "Look, I'm just not that type of person," he said with a smile. "I'd rather smile and laugh it off than explain all of my sufferings."
Noah listened to Ankeet's words and realized that perhaps he wasn't the only one struggling. Breaking the tension, Noah clapped his hands with a grin across his face, "How about we go to another place after we finished eating?" he suggested.
After eating, Noah paid the bill and led Ankeet and Ahsinav to an unknown place. They followed him as they ventured toward the top of a nearby hill. After walking for one hour straight, they reached their destination.
At the summit of the hill, there was a tree. Light buds that emitted a soft glow were flying near the tree. The clear sky with the view of stars. The soothing symphony of chirping insects and the calm blowing wind. From their vantage point, they could see the twinkling lights of the city below, a sea of luminescence against the backdrop of the night. It was a scene of unparalleled beauty and peacefulness.
"This place here is my favorite spot," Noah shared with Ankeet and Ahsinav, his voice filled with warmth. "You guys can also come here if you want to."
Ahsinav without saying a word, started walking after he reached the tree. Laying on the soft grass, gazing up at the vast expanse of stars twinkling in the night sky.
"How long has it been since I saw this kind of view?" he mused aloud.
Noah joined him, laying down beside Ahsinav. Ankeet, looking at them, approached more slowly and settled beneath the tree, his eyes drawn upward to the beautiful scenery before him.
After spending some time and sharing words, Noah broke the quietness with a reminder. "I think it's getting late. Let's head back to the academy now," he told Ahsinav and Ankeet.
Ahsinav nodded in agreement, ready to return, but Ankeet looked out at the night sky. "You go ahead. I want to spend some more time here," he requested.
As Noah and Ahsinav left, Ankeet reached out, his hand brushing against the night sky, "Should I be enjoying right now? Huh, Yumi?" he murmured, his voice tinged with melancholy.
With a heavy heart, Ankeet made a silent vow. "Just you wait. I will get the Heavenly fruit soon," he declared.
As Ankeet closed his eyes. He fell asleep. A mysterious figure observed him from the top of the tree. With a knowing smile, the enigmatic presence watched over Ankeet. In the silence of the starlit sky, Ankeet was safe, cradled by the watchful eye of his unseen guardian.