I'm so sorry about that," Arthur said, his voice low. "I wasn't thinking straight at the time… with everything that happened." He rubbed the back of his neck, avoiding eye contact. The weight of old regrets clung to every word.
Cora shook her head gently. "No," she replied, "you shouldn't be the one apologizing." Her voice was soft, yet steady. "I understand."
A quiet moment passed between them. The garden around them was still, the early morning sunlight filtering through the leaves and casting dappled patterns across the path. Neither of them spoke at first. There was too much to say and no clear way to say it.
Eventually, Arthur broke the silence. "So… what does any of this have to do with you going to Song Academy?"
Cora's smile faded just a little. She looked down, her fingers lightly tracing the edge of the bench. "Do you remember Luke?"
Arthur nodded slowly. "The kid who was always challenging you in sparring matches?"
"Yeah," she said, her expression distant. "After we… separated, I was in a dark place. I stopped training seriously. I spent most of my time alone. But Luke… he never gave up on me. He kept approaching me, whether it was for a spar or just to check in. He was annoying like that."
Arthur tilted his head. "But… wasn't his ability kind of incompatible with swords?"
Cora gave a small laugh. "Exactly. It was terrible for swordsmanship. But that never stopped him. Even though he lost to me every time, he stayed in the dojo an extra year after most of us left, just trying to make it work."
Arthur looked surprised. "Seriously?"
She nodded. "Yeah. And the crazy part? Even with all of that, he was still talented enough to get accepted into Song Academy—the third-ranked school on the continent. I was actually planning to apply here… to Erevos. But after everything, Luke convinced me to go with him."
Arthur raised an eyebrow. "He convinced you?"
Cora gave a soft, slightly embarrassed smile. "Yeah. I didn't really have any close friends anymore after you left. Everyone I used to hang out with had either quit or didn't make it into a top school. Luke was the only one still around. I guess I didn't want to be alone again, so I chose Song. Silly reason, huh?"
Arthur shook his head. "Not silly. Just… real. I get it now."
A comfortable silence followed. Not the awkward kind from earlier, but something warmer—more familiar. The tension between them had eased. The distance that had grown over years of separation didn't feel quite so wide now.
"I guess since we're in different academies now," Arthur said, "there's a chance we might end up facing each other during the games."
Cora chuckled, a sparkle in her eyes. "Unlikely. Unless they throw us all into some massive free-for-all or something."
Arthur smiled. "Knowing this academy? I wouldn't put it past them."
They continued chatting for the next couple of hours, moving between old memories and current events. The stiffness of the morning was gone now, replaced by something almost nostalgic. Eventually, the time came for them to part ways, each with their own obligations for the day.
As they stood to leave, Arthur felt something shift in him. He didn't know if everything had been fixed between them—but at the very least, they had taken the first step back toward something they once shared.